Press Conference by Canadian Medical and Humanitarian Organizations and MP Heather McPherson: Stop the Bombs and Allow Food Trucks into Gaza
When: August 6, 2025 at 10 am EDT virtual
Zoom Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83415983228?pwd=lMsARtXQUobActcMCbwoIT6owEqPWB.1
The confirmed death toll since the beginning of Israel's war on Gaza is more than 60,000. This is a vast underestimate that does not include those buried under the rubble. The true death toll has been estimated to be closer to 300,000, more than half of which is accounted for by children.
Babies, children and defenseless civilians are starving to death. Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem describes the development of a "genocidal regime in Israel, working to destroy Palestinian society in Gaza." Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI) has published a legal-medical analysis documenting the deliberate and systematic destruction of Gaza's healthcare system. Both Israeli organizations call on Israelis and the international community to take immediate action to stop the genocide, using all legal tools available under international law.
Since May 27, 2025, approximately 1,400 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), according to the UN. The GHF is shooting and killing civilians seeking aid and has been described as a death trap by UN Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. The GHF must be immediately dismantled, with the reinstallation of UNRWA and a complete end to the Israeli blockade on Gaza.
Lt Col. Anthony Aguilar, a retired US Green Beret and former Gaza Humanitarian Foundation contractor, describes what he saw on the ground in Gaza while trying to distribute aid to starving Palestinians. He recounts meeting a young 10-year-old emaciated boy, Amir, who had walked 10km without shoes, food or water to try to get food. After getting a few items of food, he thanked Mr Aguilar and his colleague for the aid he was able to retrieve. Moments later, Amir was "gunned down" and killed as the IDF soldiers began to shoot to get the crowds to disperse after distribution of food. "We have no excuse as a nation...as a world to look at this and say we didn't know," said Anthony Aguilar.
We have questions for the Honourable Anita Anand about Canadian complicity in this genocide, about continued Canadian military exports to the state of Israel, and about Canadian military imports from Israel.
Why did the government invent a 'non-lethal' category to continue to allow the export of military goods and technologies? This category is not reflected in the government's annual reports on exports of military goods and technology, with the exception of the case of Israel, and only since Jan 8, 2024.
Can the Minister account for the $18M dollars of exports to Israel in 2024? What was exported? What are the items in these categories from 2024? How can one argue that items meeting these descriptions are non-lethal?
$2.3M for bombs; torpedoes, rockets; missiles and other related components, under section 2-4
$2.9M for aircraft and airborne vehicles and their parts, under section 2-10
$12.5M for controlled electronic equipment and related components, under section 2-11
We reject the idea that any items covered by the export rules for military goods and technology have only 'non-lethal' potential and call for an end to the hypocrisy and sophistry that this category represents. We ask for accountability now for 2024 military exports, and for exports to date in 2025. We call for a true suspension of every one of an unknown number of active permits.
We note the $8M imports to Canada from Israel in 2024 and deplore the idea of benefiting from the military industry of a state engaged in war crimes.
The dehumanization of Palestinians and the brutality of Israel's war of extermination in Gaza must stop immediately. The GHF must be dismantled and the borders of Gaza must be opened for unencumbered humanitarian aid.
The UNRWA Commissioner General, Phillipe Lazzarini, has reported that UNRWA has 6,000 trucks loaded with aid stuck outside Gaza waiting permission to enter.
"Airdrops are at least 100 times more costly than trucks. Trucks carry twice as much aid as planes," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on social media.
"If there is political will to allow airdrops – which are highly costly, insufficient and inefficient, there should be similar political will to open the road crossings," he stressed.
Demands:
Condemn Israel's war of extermination
Sanction Israel and expel the Israeli ambassador
Impose a total and transparent 2-way arms embargo now and account for arms exports over the 19 months since Jan 8 2024
Break the siege by pressuring Israel to dismantle the GHF and to let food and humanitarian aid in through land borders; by sending our navy; and by urgently deploying an international peacekeeping force. Allow UNRWA and the World Food Program to do their work
Suspend all trade agreements with Israel until the end of genocide, occupation, and apartheid
Investigate and prosecute all individuals and organizations committing crimes in occupied territories
Evacuate the sick and injured children urgently
Recognize Palestine statehood unconditionally
Speakers
Dr Aliya Khan
Dr Ben Thomson
Dr Fozia Alvi
Dr. Catherine Clase
Rabbi David Mivisair
Rev. Dianne Blanchard
Khaled AlQazzaz
Hon MP Heather McPherson
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