Ottawa is sending another $100 million in assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday from New York, where he was attending the United Nations General Assembly.
The funding breaks down into two parts. About $80 million is earmarked for humanitarian assistance, covering needs like food, medical care and shelter for civilians affected by the ongoing conflict. The remaining $20 million goes toward peace and security capacity-building, including continued support for a long-running Canadian program that trains Palestinian police officers.
Carney framed the announcement as addressing both the immediate humanitarian crisis and Canada's longer-term support for a two-state solution, a position the federal government has repeatedly reaffirmed at international forums over the past two years.
An Ottawa-made decision
While the announcement was made on the world stage in New York, the decision itself came out of the Prime Minister's Office here in Ottawa, where the federal government has been shaping its response to the Israel-Hamas war since it began in October 2023. Ottawa is home to Global Affairs Canada, the department responsible for administering this kind of international assistance, along with the various federal agencies that will help coordinate how the new funding actually reaches people in Gaza and the West Bank.
This latest pledge pushes Canada's total assistance for Palestinian civilians since October 2023 past $600 million, according to The Canadian Press. It's the kind of recurring, incremental commitment that's become a pattern for the federal government as the conflict has dragged on, with new tranches of funding announced periodically alongside statements of support for a ceasefire and eventual political resolution.
The announcement was first flagged locally by Instagram account @shottawa.tv, which posted the news Tuesday and asked followers for their reaction. The post has drawn a range of comments, reflecting the broader divide in public opinion across the country on Canada's role in the conflict.
No timeline was given for when the new humanitarian funds will be disbursed, and the federal government has not detailed which organizations will distribute the aid on the ground. As with previous tranches, expect further updates from Global Affairs Canada as the money moves from pledge to delivery.
Source: Instagram @shottawa.tv
