Gaza Ceasefire Fraying as Canada Presses for Humanitarian Access

The fragile ceasefire in Gaza, in place since October, is showing signs of unravelling as Israeli officials threaten to resume operations and humanitarian access to the territory remains restricted. For Canada, the situation has prompted continued diplomatic engagement and humanitarian commitments, alongside coordinated pressure with European partners on the parties to maintain the agreement.

The state of the ceasefire

The ceasefire that took effect last October has held formally but has been characterised by ongoing violations and significant humanitarian challenges. Local medical sources have reported that 828 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the truce began, and Israeli officials have repeatedly warned that operations could be resumed if Hamas does not meet specific conditions, including weapons disarmament.

The first phase of the agreement, which was supposed to deliver 600 humanitarian aid trucks daily into Gaza, has not been fully implemented. Israel has continued to restrict the flow of aid, citing security concerns and disputes about the destination of the supplies. Following the outbreak of regional hostilities on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran, Israel closed all Gaza border crossings, blocking the entry of all humanitarian aid and preventing medical evacuations.

The disarmament question has been the most immediate point of contention. The peace plan that emerged from the U.S.-led negotiating process strictly conditions humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and the opening of crossings on the phased handover of weapons by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The Palestinian factions have rejected the disarmament prerequisite, creating a structural impasse.

Canada's diplomatic engagement

Canada has been engaged with European and other partners on the implementation of the ceasefire and on the broader humanitarian challenges in Gaza. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has been in regular contact with counterparts in Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on the various dimensions of the file.

The Carney government's posture has emphasised the importance of full implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire, the protection of civilians, the resumption of aid flows, and the long-term political horizon of a two-state solution. The government has continued to vote in favour of UN General Assembly resolutions calling for greater humanitarian access and protection of civilians.

Canada has also continued to support United Nations agencies operating in Gaza, including UNRWA. The continuation of that support has been politically complicated, with successive Canadian governments navigating questions about UNRWA's structure and operations, but the humanitarian imperative has been emphasised across party lines.

The humanitarian situation

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains acute. The territory has experienced extensive destruction across its housing stock, medical infrastructure and basic services, with reconstruction effectively suspended due to the limitations on access. Food insecurity has been a recurring concern, with multiple reports through the past year describing severe shortages.

Medical evacuations, which had been a feature of the earlier ceasefire phases, have been largely suspended through the current period. The closure of border crossings has prevented patients from leaving for treatment outside Gaza, with predictable consequences for those facing urgent medical needs.

The international humanitarian system has continued to call for the full implementation of the agreed terms, including the daily aid truck flows. United Nations officials have repeatedly emphasised that the suspension of aid is producing significant humanitarian harm, and the broader humanitarian community has been pressing for resumed access.

The Israeli position

Israeli officials have framed their position as a response to the failure of Hamas to disarm and to fulfil other commitments under the ceasefire framework. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has maintained that operations could resume if necessary to compel compliance, while also emphasising its commitment to the eventual return of remaining hostages.

The Israeli political environment has been navigating significant pressures, including the broader question of the Iran war, the political dynamics within Netanyahu's coalition government, and the ongoing public debate about the conduct of the war in Gaza. The Israeli military's operational posture has been adjusted to align with the various pressures and the diplomatic negotiations.

Public opinion in Israel has remained complex on the broader Gaza file. Polling has shown majority support for the eventual recovery of hostages and for the conclusion of the conflict, alongside continuing concerns about the security implications of various proposed arrangements. The political conversation has been shaped by those competing pressures.

The Palestinian position

The Palestinian factions, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front, have rejected the disarmament prerequisite as a fundamental condition for further negotiations. Their position is that any handover of weapons must be part of a broader political settlement that includes a credible path to Palestinian statehood and the lifting of restrictions on the territory.

The Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah and led by President Mahmoud Abbas, has continued to engage with international partners on the broader political horizon. The Authority has been pressing for an internationally supported transition that would extend its administrative reach into Gaza in some form, although the political and security challenges of such a transition are considerable.

The political fragmentation among Palestinian leadership has been a structural challenge throughout the conflict. The lack of unified Palestinian representation has complicated negotiations and has limited the practical options available to international partners attempting to support a sustainable resolution.

Canada's humanitarian commitments

Canada has provided substantial humanitarian assistance to Gaza and the broader West Bank since the start of the conflict in October 2023, including funding for UNRWA, the World Food Programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other organisations. The financial commitments have been part of a broader Canadian humanitarian engagement across the Middle East.

The Canadian government has also worked on visa and immigration measures to support Palestinian Canadians attempting to bring family members to Canada. The processing of those applications has been a complex undertaking given the security situation in Gaza and the limitations on movement out of the territory.

Canadian non-governmental organisations have been actively involved in the humanitarian response, with several major Canadian charities operating fundraising and direct programming related to Gaza. Their work has complemented the federal government's efforts and has provided channels for Canadian individual support.

The Canadian Palestinian and Jewish communities

The Canadian Palestinian and Jewish communities have been deeply engaged with the file throughout the conflict, with regular advocacy, fundraising and dialogue activities. The two communities have, at times, found themselves on opposing sides of the policy debate, while at other moments leaders have engaged in dialogue to encourage shared humanitarian concern.

Canadian universities and public institutions have navigated significant political pressures related to the conflict, with debates about academic freedom, free expression, and institutional positioning continuing through the past year. The federal government has emphasised the importance of pluralism and the rule of law in those debates, while individual institutions have made their own decisions on specific matters.

The Canadian political conversation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been one of the more consequential domestic political issues of the past two years. All major federal parties have navigated the issue with varying degrees of unity, and the Carney government's approach has emphasised humanitarian commitments alongside support for a two-state political horizon.

The regional dimension

The Gaza file is connected to the broader regional dynamics, including the Iran war, the situation in Lebanon, the Yemen conflict and the broader Saudi-led normalisation initiatives. The U.S.-led negotiations on Iran have produced opportunities for broader regional resets, although the durability of those opportunities depends on the specific terms of any agreements that emerge.

Egypt and Jordan have continued to play central roles in the diplomatic and humanitarian dimensions of the Gaza response, with both countries hosting significant numbers of Palestinian refugees and providing logistical support for aid flows. Their engagement has been essential to whatever progress has been made on the file.

The Saudi position, which has been increasingly active under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been navigating the broader question of regional normalisation alongside specific humanitarian commitments. The trajectory of Saudi-Israeli normalisation, which had been in active negotiation before October 2023, remains an important dimension of the broader regional conversation.

What it means for Canada

For Canadian foreign policy, the Gaza file has been one of the most demanding diplomatic challenges of the past two years. The combination of humanitarian, political, security and domestic political dimensions has required sustained engagement across multiple ministers and senior officials.

For Canadian humanitarian commitments, the file has continued to be a significant priority for federal funding and for Canadian non-governmental organisations. The scale of the humanitarian need has exceeded the capacity of any single country, and Canadian contributions have been part of a broader international response.

For the broader Canadian conversation about international affairs, the conflict has reinforced questions about the sustainability of a rules-based international order, the protection of civilians in armed conflict, and the relationship between humanitarian and political responses. Those questions are likely to shape Canadian foreign policy debates for years to come.

What's next

The next phase of the file will depend on whether the parties to the ceasefire are able to find a path forward on the disarmament question and the broader implementation challenges. The U.S.-led negotiating process has been active across multiple fronts, but a clear resolution remains elusive.

For Canada, the diplomatic engagement will continue through G7, European and bilateral channels. The federal government has been emphasising the importance of full implementation of the agreed terms, the protection of civilians, and the long-term political horizon of a two-state solution.

The humanitarian needs in Gaza will continue to be acute regardless of the diplomatic trajectory. Canadian commitments to humanitarian funding and political engagement are expected to remain stable, although specific operational decisions will depend on the evolving situation on the ground.

The broader question of how to translate the current ceasefire framework into a durable resolution remains one of the most consequential challenges in international affairs. Canada's role, while limited compared to the major powers most directly engaged, has been a consistent feature of the international response and is likely to remain so through the months ahead.