Justin Trudeau called for a “transparent and independent” investigation into the Israeli raid that, on Tuesday, killed a team of seven humanitarian workers in Gaza, including a Quebec citizen from Bose, who were on site to distribute food.
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“We need to clarify what happened. We need better protection for civilians, humanitarian workers and workers,” Mr. Trudeau said.
Mr. Trudeau said it was a “completely unacceptable” strike.
- Listen to the interview with Rashad Antonios, Middle East specialist and professor of sociology at UQAM, with Mario Dumont on QUB:
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel was responsible the previous day for the killing of the seven aid workers, calling it an “unintentional” strike and describing it as “tragic.”
“It happens in war,” he said, pledging to do “everything to ensure that it never happens again.”
On the sidelines of a press conference on housing on Thursday, the Prime Minister also issued a rebuke to his counterpart.
“[…] I do not agree with the Prime Minister [Benyamin] Netanyahu when he says that these things happen in war. But no, that shouldn't happen. “And those who are there to protect civilians must be protected themselves.”
One of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) relief workers killed on Tuesday was a Beauceron named Jacob Flickinger.
“Jacob put his heart and soul into his work. For him, this mission was a mission with the ultimate goal of experiencing other, more exciting missions,” his mother, Sylvie Labrecque, said in an interview with TVA.
Justin Trudeau called for more aid to Gaza and a ceasefire. He also called on Hamas to release the Israeli hostages.
For his part, US President Joe Biden warned Israel that American support would depend on measures taken to protect Palestinian civilians.
The other victims of the attack came from Australia, Poland and the United Kingdom, according to World Aid Kitchen, which condemned the “targeted attack” and decided to “suspend its operations in the region.”
– With Agence France-Presse
