Karina Gould, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons rises during Question Period, Tuesday, September 26, 2023 in Ottawa. Gould says it doesn't need to be "one or the other" when it comes to calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas and advocating for "humanitarian pauses" in the war. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
OTTAWA – Defence Minister Bill Blair says humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas conflict are needed to get critical aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip, but he can’t yet say how it would actually work.
Canada joined international partners including the United States and France on Tuesday in calling for a temporary halt to fighting as the humanitarian crisis in the territory gets worse.
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said earlier today that it needed to curtail its relief operations in Gaza amid crippling Israeli airstrikes.
Blair said today that how a humanitarian pause would actually be put into place is still being determined.
He had commented on Tuesday that he did not believe Hamas can be trusted to follow international law or any calls for a ceasefire.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 6,500 Palestinians have been killed, while Israel says 1,400 of its citizens were killed, 4,500 injured and more than 200 remain hostages of Hamas following its Oct. 7 raid in Israel.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2023.
– With files from The Associated Press.
