Gaza advocates urge Canada not to ignore persistent suffering amid partial ceasefire

OTTAWA — Advocates for Palestinians are urging Ottawa to do more for a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying the release of Israeli hostages hasn’t stopped preventable deaths and violence in the enclave.

Doctors for Humanity co-chair Aliya Khan was among activists at a Parliament Hill press conference today who say Canada needs to increase pressure on Israel to stop ceasefire violations, and push harder for humanitarian aid.

Khan says the October ceasefire that led to the release of Israeli hostages has not improved the situation for Palestinians in Gaza, arguing it has only moved attention away from the suffering.

The world’s major famine-monitoring organization, the IPC, declared last Friday that the food situation remains critical in Gaza, but shifted its classification of the territory from its most severe rating to the second-most severe because of more aid access.

Catherine Clase, who co-leads Doctors for Humanity, says the situation has not improved, with children dying of hypothermia and medical clinics lacking antibiotics and surgical equipment.

Israel blames Hamas for ceasefire violations and insists it is upholding humanitarian law, despite a torrent of criticism over the country’s high death count in Gaza and persistent barriers to having a massive uptick in aid trucks reaching the territory.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2025.