Toronto, March 19, 2025 – “Israel’s unilateral resumption of hostilities in Gaza is nothing short of a death sentence for Gaza’s children. Once again, the world watches as children face unimaginable horrors – killed, maimed, displaced, starved, and left even more vulnerable to disease and the elements. We cannot stand by as an entire generation is subjected to relentless suffering.
“More than 17,800 children have already been killed, and thousands more remain missing, presumed dead beneath the rubble. The scale of devastation is staggering, inflicting unprecedented and potentially irreversible mental and physical harm. Returning to this brutal reality after even a brief pause in violence is unconscionable.
“The blockade of humanitarian aid by Israeli authorities, coupled with the resumption of airstrikes, threatens to push children deeper into catastrophe – just as we saw before the pause, when countless children lost their lives due to the war. With the beginning of Ramadan, Save the Children teams report growing panic as families scramble to secure food, fearing supplies will run out. The denial of lifesaving aid is not just inhuman – it is a violation of international law and a grave assault on children’s rights. Immediate action must be taken to restore the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
“The war in Gaza cannot continue as it did before. We demand an immediate and definitive ceasefire, and we call for all restrictions on humanitarian aid to be lifted without delay. Anything less is a catastrophic failure to uphold international humanitarian law and protect the most vulnerable. Gaza’s children need more than just a temporary reprieve – they need a permanent end to the violence that has defined their childhoods for far too long. Canada has long been an advocate for the protection of children in crisis and armed conflict, and it is time for Canada’s new Prime Minister to uphold the rights of children in Gaza.”
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