Canada backs Israel’s ground operation

Canada says it fully backs Israel’s right to defend itself, by itself, expressing support for the army’s ground incursion into Gaza.

“Israel will be forced to continue defending itself as long as Hamas continues its rocket attacks against civilians,” Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says.

“These operations could have been avoided if Hamas had not rejected the government of Egypt’s ceasefire proposal — a proposal that was accepted by Israel and welcomed by the Palestinian Authority. This proves that Hamas has no interest in peace and bears responsibility for the further tragic loss of life.”

Egypt is the best-placed country in the region to help broker a ceasefire and end the current hostilities, Baird adds. “It is a historic leader in regional peace efforts, having successfully brokered numerous ceasefire agreements over the years, and Egypt’s ongoing initiative is the only serious ceasefire proposal on the table.”

— Raphael Ahren