Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has joined two of his counterparts in calling for an end to violence in the Middle East.
Trudeau joined Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon Tuesday in issuing a joint statement, condemning the Hamas attack on Israel while lamenting the loss of civilians on both sides.
"We recognize Israel's right to exist and right to defend itself," read the joint statement. "In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected. We are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians."
The statement went on to call for "unimpeded humanitarian access" to be sustained, as well as for a ceasefire.
The prime ministers also made it clear that Hamas has no place in Gaza.
"We support Palestinians' right to self-determination," read the statement. "We oppose the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory, and any use of siege or blockade. We emphasize that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism. We reaffirm that settlements are illegal under international law. Settlements and settler violence are serious obstacles to a negotiated two-state solution."
The statement also mentioned the rising tide of anti-Semitic and Islamophobic violence around the world, remaining "firmly committed to combatting prejudice, hatred, and violent extremism."
A ceasefire that lasted for the final week of November resulted in over 110 hostages being released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Of the hostages, 86 of them were Israeli, and the rest were various foreign nationals.
