Together, the organizations took stock of the critical humanitarian situation on the ground and renewed their call to the Government of Canada to urgently demand a ceasefire, unconditional humanitarian access to Gaza, and the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel.
Since October 7, unprecedented violence in Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank has led to a humanitarian catastrophe. Thousands of civilians, including children, have been killed, and millions more are suffering from countless attacks, relentless bombings, hunger, dehydration, disease, and the lack of drinking water, fuel, healthcare, and humanitarian aid.
While organizations and local partners are providing immediate assistance to civilians on the ground, their capacity to help is severely limited due to the total blockade, the lack of safe humanitarian access, and the extreme violence that poses a significant risk to humanitarian workers and civilians in need of aid.
Day after day, hundreds of innocent civilians are killed. We call on the Government of Canada to take a firm and resolute stance by demanding a ceasefire to prevent further loss of life and allow the delivery of crucial humanitarian aid: CARE Canada, Cooperation Canada, Development and Peace, Human Concern International, Humanity & Inclusion, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Doctors of the World Canada, Mennonite Central Committee Canada, and Save the Children.
Quotes from press conference speakers
“The lives of two million people are at stake. Gaza’s healthcare system is collapsing, hospitals are devastated and unable to treat the tens of thousands of injured. Healthcare workers are operating in catastrophic hygiene and fatigue conditions, facing an acute shortage of resources exacerbated by the total blockade and the glaring insufficiency of humanitarian aid.”
Nadja Pollaert, Executive Director, Doctors of the World Canada
“This is not the time to look away; we must be outraged by the unbearable situation civilians are enduring. This cannot go on for weeks. The parties to the conflict must listen to the growing voices of civil society organizations worldwide calling for a ceasefire. Only a ceasefire will allow humanitarian organizations to provide aid that meets the enormous vital needs, with the assurance that it will reach civilians. This is the only solution. Now. Enough is enough.”
Béatrice Vaugrante, Executive Director, Oxfam-Québec
“Gaza has become a graveyard for children, with one child killed every 10 minutes. In one month, over 4,008 children have been killed, most of them while at home with their families, and many of them in southern Gaza, where a million people were told to flee. This is unimaginable. Homes, hospitals, and schools are being targeted, and children are paying with their lives, including over 615 babies and toddlers. This is a grave violation of children’s rights.”
Danny Glenwright, President and CEO, Save the Children
“Our teams on the ground risk their lives every day, under siege and gunfire. They face unimaginable challenges and threats as they work tirelessly to save lives and provide whatever assistance they can. Attention has focused on delivering a handful of trucks into the enclave. The civilians in Gaza desperately need the little food and water on those trucks, but it seems futile as bombs continue to kill so many people every day. We need an immediate and lasting ceasefire. We cannot afford to wait any longer.”
Usama Khan, CEO, Islamic Relief Canada
Quotes from organizations supporting the call for a ceasefire:
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza is more than catastrophic, and we are receiving heartbreaking messages from our colleagues and partners trapped inside, struggling to survive. We are deeply concerned for the lives of some 500,000 Palestinians, as well as over 200 Israeli and foreign hostages currently trapped in a ‘siege within a siege’ in northern Gaza. Israel’s decision to deprive Gaza’s civilians of essentials for survival, such as food, water, fuel, medicine, and other aid, constitutes collective punishment and a violation of international humanitarian law. As an international community, we have a responsibility to end this nightmare and ensure civilians can access the aid they desperately need.”
Lauren Ravon, Executive Director, Oxfam Canada
“MCC has worked in Palestine and Israel for over 70 years alongside partners committed to a just peace. Today, these partners are calling for an end to the violence and injustice—partners like Al-Najd Developmental Forum, who are currently risking their lives to provide humanitarian aid with very limited supplies amid the raging violence in Gaza. As Palestinian pastor Ashraf Tannous says: ‘I pray for peace to prevail. I pray for love to prevail. And I pray for people to feel our suffering and act accordingly.’”
Rick Cober Bauman, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee Canada
“I am deeply concerned by reports reaching CARE about women undergoing emergency C-sections without proper anesthesia. Pregnant women in the region do not have access to the adequate prenatal and postnatal care they need to deliver safely. This increases risks for mothers and newborns and could threaten their lives and those of their babies. We need an immediate ceasefire to provide essential humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, safe access to healthcare, water, food, and fuel.”
Barbara Grantham, President and CEO, CARE Canada
“We are particularly concerned about the devastating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Persons with disabilities are among the most vulnerable populations, facing enormous challenges and difficulties in protecting themselves from violence and accessing the aid they need. According to our information, over 15% of displaced persons in the Gaza Strip have a disability. Unfortunately, most shelters are not equipped to meet their needs, and access to health services, including rehabilitation, is essential at this time. We call for an immediate ceasefire so that our teams and partners can provide the necessary assistance to those who need it most.”
Anne Delorme, Executive Director, Humanity & Inclusion Canada
“We are appalled by this government’s hesitation in the face of the worst humanitarian crisis of the year! Only an immediate ceasefire and a secure humanitarian corridor can end the carnage and the unnecessary suffering of 2.2 million people who desperately need peace and support. Canada must issue a call to this effect without delay. If we do not, our nation’s reputation will be tarnished.”
Carl Hétu, Executive Director of Development and Peace, Caritas Canada
“For over twenty years, Human Concern International has responded to the needs of Palestinians in Gaza, supporting the most vulnerable, including orphans and families. Today, we face the sad reality that many of these people have been killed, displaced, or have disappeared in the chaos. We are facing an acute crisis, marked by severe water shortages, health emergencies, and a growing number of orphaned and vulnerable children. In light of the escalating humanitarian catastrophe, we urgently call, along with our partners, for a ceasefire. It is incumbent upon Canada to prioritize this humanitarian emergency above all else.”
Mahmuda Khan, Executive Director, Human Concern International
For media inquiries, please contact
- CARE Canada: Aniela Cockburn, 613-890-0355, aniela.cockburn@care.ca
- Human Concern International: Iftikhar Shaikh Ahmad, 819-208-6025, iftikhar@humanconcern.org
- Humanity & Inclusion Canada: Fatou Thiam, 514-229-0761, f.thiam@hi.org
- Islamic Relief Canada: Mashaal Saaed, 647-919-1580, mashaal.saeed@islamicreliefcanada.org
- Doctors of the World Canada: Mélissa Cabana, 514-799-8985, melissa.cabana@medecinsdumonde.ca
- Mennonite Central Committee Canada: Laura Kalmar, 1-844-732-2346, laurakalmar@mcccanada.ca
- Oxfam-Québec: Victoria Amigo, 514-606-4663 | victoria.amigo@oxfam.org
- Oxfam Canada: Vita Sgardello, 613-799-0234, vita.sgardello@oxfam.org
- Save the Children: Tiffany Baggetta, 647-517-4563, tbaggetta@savethechildren.ca
- Development and Peace Caritas Canada: Minaz Kerawala, 514-867-4498, mkerawala@devp.org