Canada says time is running out for humanitarian pause in Gaza

Canada's foreign minister calls for a humanitarian pause in the Gaza conflict to evacuate Canadians and provide aid

OTTAWA:

Canada's foreign minister on Monday reiterated a call for a humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza, and said there is little time left to get Canadians and hostages out while delivering badly needed aid.

"Four hundred Canadians are trapped in Gaza, they are living in fear and despair... And that is why we need humanitarian pauses, a humanitarian truce, in Gaza," Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in the text of a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto.

"Time is running out. We need an agreement from all parties to get foreign nationals out, including Canadians. To release all hostages. And to allow food, fuel and water into Gaza," she said.

Israel's widening ground attacks on Gaza have spurred international calls for a "humanitarian pause" to allow aid in. People stormed aid stores in Gaza on Sunday in search of food. There are also more than 200 hostages in the hands of Hamas since the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel that killed 1,400 people.

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Joly said she had been in contact with Qatar, Israel, Egypt and the United States every day for the past three weeks.

In a wide-ranging policy speech, Joly also addressed tensions with India after Canada said Indian agents were linked to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader - and Canadian citizen - in British Columbia.

Joly said the Canada-India relationship was facing a "difficult moment", adding that the government stood by its decision to make public the allegations. She said Canada remained engaged with the Indian government on the matter.

"It is important to remember that this is one moment in a relationship that spans decades... and is built upon strong connections between our two peoples," Joly said.