(Ottawa) Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said Tuesday that the terrorist organization Hamas poses a threat to the entire world and must be “eliminated.”
Posted at 12:08 p.m.
Mr Blair also indicated that he did not expect Hamas to respect international law, including a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
These are the most direct comments from a Canadian minister to explain his government’s position, which does not support calls for a ceasefire, particularly from the New Democrats in Ottawa and even from some members of the Liberal caucus.
The defense minister also appears unwilling to support more recent calls for a “humanitarian ceasefire,” as proposed by the UN secretary-general and now the Bloc Québécois. Mr Blair simply indicated that discussions were underway about providing more aid to Gazans.
Since Hamas’ surprise attacks on Israel on October 7, more than a million Palestinians have been displaced in Gaza. These Gazans face severe shortages of food, water and fuel.
European foreign ministers agreed on Monday that a temporary cessation of fighting was necessary to deliver aid to Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron is in Israel on Tuesday to push for such a “humanitarian ceasefire” to provide supplies to civilians in the Gaza Strip.