Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Majdi Mohammed
March 20, 2025 - 3:46 PM
OTTAWA - The federal Liberals are announcing nearly $100 million in humanitarian relief and governance support for Palestinians, days before a widely expected election.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, who took on the file of international development last week, is announcing funding for major agencies working in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The announced funding includes $30 million for recovery and governance support in the West Bank, where there has been escalating violence between Israeli troops and local militants and what Ottawa calls "significant displacement."
Ottawa says it's also sending nearly $45 million for healthcare, food and shelter for Palestinians, particularly in the Gaza Strip where a ceasefire has ended between Israel and Hamas.
A quarter of the funding will also go toward security programming, particularly relating to landmines, and the funds will flow through agencies like the United Nations, World Bank and Red Cross.
Canada has been calling on Israel to stop restricting humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza, calling the situation "not sustainable," while Israel blames Hamas militants for violence and aid seizures.
The federal Liberals have faced widespread criticism from Jewish and Arab groups for statements around the Israel-Hamas war, especially in the past week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2025.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2025