Hate crimes targeting Jews and Muslims have risen across Canada since the war started after a Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed news of a ceasefire deal to pause the “gruelling” 15-month war in the Gaza Strip, hoping it would ease tensions in Canada.
“It means we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, to hopefully put an end to this horrific war that has taken the lives of far too many innocents,” Trudeau told reporters Wednesday.
He said the announcement gave him “hope that here in Canada, we can turn down the temperature, truly listen to one another, and ultimately rebuild the relationships between various communities which have been deeply damaged.”
Hate crimes targeting Jews and Muslims have risen across Canada since the war started, as have large protests and encampments, some of which have included praise for the Hamas attack.
Qatar said the ceasefire deal will start Jan. 19, which would see Hamas release dozens of hostages in phases, in return for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners while allowing more aid into Gaza.
Israel declared war on Hamas after the terrorist group staged what Trudeau called an “abhorrent, unconscionable attack” in October 2023 and kidnapped scores of hostages.
Despite the newly negotiated pause the Israel-Hamas war, anti-Israel groups in Canada told The Canadian Press that they will not end their regular demonstrations as they continue to push for demands like an arms embargo.
Similarly, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said its main focus is the return of hostages taken by Hamas, despite the “painful concessions that Israel has been willing to make” in the ceasefire deal.
“Canada’s Jewish community will not rest until every hostage taken on Oct. 7 is returned home to their loved ones,” the organization’s interim president, Noah Shack, wrote in a statement.
Trudeau said he hopes the news brings solace and relief to Canadians with ties to the Middle East, and he noted it could lead Hamas to return the body of a Canadian, Judih Weinstein Haggai, to her family.
Initially believed to be a living hostage of Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack, her family confirmed in December 2023 that she had been killed.
The prime minister says Canada will do whatever it can to ensure the ceasefire is a success and he hopes it builds momentum for a two-state solution.
Canada has for decades called for the creation of a Palestinian state that exists in peace alongside Israel, but has yet to follow peers like Norway and Ireland in recognizing Palestinian statehood.
Trudeau noted Canada has called for a ceasefire for more than a year, though Ottawa initially was against such a move and sought a “humanitarian pause” to the fighting.
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