Key facts
- Canada will provide C$100 million in new aid for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
- The funding includes C$80 million for humanitarian aid.
- An additional C$20 million is allocated for development funding for security initiatives, including training for Palestinian police.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the aid package on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
- The aid is intended to help preserve the possibility of a two-state solution.
- Canada has pledged over C$600 million in aid for Palestinian civilians since October 2023.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Tuesday that Canada is pledging C$100 million in new aid for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, stating the effort is aimed at preserving "the possibility of a two-state solution."
Carney made the announcement on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The funding package includes C$80 million designated for humanitarian aid and C$20 million for development funding. This latter portion is intended for security initiatives, including additional support for a multi-year project focused on training police in the West Bank. Canada is also open to extending this training support to Gaza when conditions permit.
Carney highlighted the "immense human suffering" experienced by Palestinians in Gaza, while also acknowledging the "existential threats" faced by Israelis from Hamas and its proxies. He also spoke out against Israel's planned E1 settlement in the West Bank, which critics argue would divide the territory, and noted that Canada has placed restrictions on importing goods produced in Israeli settlements.
Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023, Ottawa has pledged more than C$600 million in aid for Palestinian civilians. New documents tabled in Parliament this week detail damage to dozens of Canadian-funded aid projects attributed to Israel's military and settlers.