Gantz talks to Trudeau after Canada PM tells Israel to stop killing babies in Gaza

Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during the leaders talk at the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) on the sidelines of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, September 6, 2023. (Adek Berry/Pool Photo via AP)
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during the leaders talk at the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) on the sidelines of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, September 6, 2023. (Adek Berry/Pool Photo via AP)

War cabinet minister Benny Gantz told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Hamas continues to use Gazan citizens as human shields in the face of the IDF’s campaign against the terror group, in a conversation the two held last night.

In a phone call to update the Canadian premier on the IDF’s campaign in Gaza, Gantz also insists the war is crucial to guaranteeing Israel’s security.

The conversation comes following harsh criticism by the Canadian leader over Palestinian civilian casualties resulting from the IDF’s operation, with Trudeau on Tuesday urging Israel to stop “this killing of women, of children, of babies” in the Gaza Strip.

According to Gantz’s office, the National Unity party leader emphasizes Hamas’s continued use of Gazan residents as human shields, as well as Israel’s efforts to “change the reality in the region.”

Gantz underlines the importance of the military operation for guaranteeing the security of Israeli civilians and regional stability, “against an enemy that cruelly massacred women, the elderly, and children, and who holds babies hostage while preventing Gazan residents from evacuating to safe areas where humanitarian supplies and medical care is available.”

According to Gantz’s office, Trudeau pointed to his “years of support for Israel and its right to defend itself,” and the need to immediately bring back the hostages.

Trudeau said that the ongoing provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza’s residents was critical to preserving the possibility of a better future for the entire region.

Gantz and Trudeau also discussed the rise in global antisemitism and their “joint obligation” to combat the phenomenon.

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