RCMP says it will collect info on possible war crimes in Gaza war
An RCMP patch is seen on the shoulder of an assistant commissioner in Surrey, B.C., on Friday, April 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
OTTAWA — The RCMP says it will 'proactively' collect information about possible war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Israel-Hamas armed conflict.
In a Wednesday statement, the Mounties stressed that they have no criminal investigations underway but they want to collect information on possible crimes by any party involved in the conflict.
'The primary objective is to proactively collect relevant information that may support future investigative steps, should jurisdictional and legal thresholds be met,' says the statement.
The statement came from the force's Ontario division based in London, and not from the headquarters in Ottawa.
The RCMP says it initiated 'a structural investigation' in 'early 2024' of the conflict that started in October 2023, when Hamas militants brazenly attacked Israel and took dozens of hostages, prompting Israel to bombard the Gaza Strip and restrict food deliveries.
'A structural investigation is a broad, intelligence-led intake process designed to collect, preserve, and assess information potentially relevant under Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act. This includes gathering open-source material and voluntary submissions from individuals wishing to provide information,' the statement says.
The RCMP said that this is standard procedure and the force hasn't initiated any criminal probes.
'Should a perpetrator of core international crimes — such as genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity — with the appropriate nexus to Canada be identified, the RCMP will initiate a separate criminal investigation,' the statement reads.
The force says it has faced technical delays in rolling out 'a secure online portal available in French, English, Hebrew and Arabic, to facilitate (investigations) and secure any submissions of information by the public and potential witnesses.'
'We urge the public to refrain from drawing premature conclusions about the RCMP's role or intent,' the statement wrote. 'This initiative is solely focused on collecting relevant information and does not target any community or group.'
The RCMP statement comes after the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs suggested that talk of war crimes probes encourage 'false narratives' that can fuel a rise in antisemitic violence.
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, a group advocating for Palestinians, has asked the RCMP to probe Canadian citizens serving in the Israeli military in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria, given 'the serious likelihood that they are involved in the commission of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025
Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Remains of Merritt, B.C., man found 2 years after disappearance
Social Sharing RCMP in the B.C. Interior have confirmed that a Merritt man's body was found more than two years after his disappearance. Miguel Mack was last seen on Feb. 27, 2023. He was reported missing on March 3 when family had not seen or heard from him for several days. On Wednesday, RCMP said that they had learned that his remains had been found and identified in April. Police said that Mack's family had been told of the discovery, but they did not disclose where exactly his remains were found. "The investigation into Miguel Mack's death continues to remain a priority," said Staff Sgt. Jason Smart with the Southeast District Major Crime Unit. "There are people out there with direct and indirect knowledge of Miguel Mack's death and we are asking those individuals to come forward and contact the police." The major crime unit had been looking into Mack's disappearance in 2023, saying that it was suspicious and involved criminality. Volunteers had covered much of the Nicola Valley in the search, and it reached as far as Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, Victoria, Bella Coola and Prince George.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Cyclist fatally struck by pickup truck on Vancouver Island: RCMP
A bike tire is seen in this stock image. (Milada Vigerova/ A senior cyclist was struck and killed by a pickup truck in the Vancouver Island community of Nanoose Bay on Friday, according to police. The Oceanside RCMP says first responders were called to Marina Way near Carmel Place around 10:50 a.m. after a collision involving multiple cyclists and a Ford pickup truck. Two cyclists were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. A third died at the scene. Police say the deceased is a 79-year-old man from Qualicum Beach. 'While all of the contributing factors into this collision are still being determined, the initial investigation indicates that the pickup truck entered onto Marina Way from a side street and collided with the cyclists who were riding on Marina Way,' Mounties wrote in a news release Saturday. 'Drugs and alcohol on the part of the pickup truck driver and the cyclists have been excluded as contributing factors. The pickup driver remained on scene and is co-operating with the investigation.' RCMP collision analysts and the BC Coroners Service are investigating the crash, and police ask anyone with information or video to call 250-248-6111.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Why Tom Mulcair is calling this year's G7 Summit ‘the most important in a generation'
Why Tom Mulcair is calling this year's G7 Summit 'the most important in a generation' CTV News political commentator Tom Mulcair explains why he believes the upcoming G7 Summit is the most important in a generation.
