Canada, Australia, New Zealand call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

The Presidents of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand demanded an urgent humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza on Thursday in a joint statement issued in reaction to rumors about Israel’s upcoming military operation in Rafah.

“We are gravely concerned by indications that Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah. A military operation into Rafah would be catastrophic,” the statement by the prime ministers of the three countries said.

“An immediate humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed.”

Today, I released a statement with Prime Minister @AlboMP and Prime Minister @ChrisLuxonMP on reports of Israel’s planned military operation in Rafah.

Read it here: https://t.co/t1qdfiBgqu

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 15, 2024

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it will press ahead with an offensive against Hamas in Rafah, the last refuge for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza, after allowing civilians to vacate the area.

International human rights organizations, however, have issued a warning that more than 1.4 million Palestinians seeking refuge in Rafah are left with nowhere to go after Israel destroyed all of the places it had previously claimed to be safe zones.

The statement asked Israel to stop the onslaught, but it also stated that any truce could not be “one sided” and that Hamas would have to disarm in order to free all of the hostages who were still held.

The leaders added that Israel was required by the International Court of Justice’s January decision in a South African genocide case to safeguard civilians and provide basic amenities and vital humanitarian relief.

 “The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law,” the statement said.

“Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.”