Today, October 7, 2024, marks the one-year anniversary of the unprecedented violence that has devastated Gaza and its people. The numbers are staggering. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, as reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 41,800 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 12,000 children, with an additional 96,844 Palestinians injured. The United Nations estimates that approximately 1.9 million people in Gaza—90% of the population—have been internally displaced, forced to live in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions. Gaza’s infrastructure has been decimated, with hospitals, schools, and homes reduced to rubble, and an estimated 80% of buildings destroyed. Critical supplies of food, water, and medicine have been cut off due to Israel’s ongoing blockade, compounding the already dire humanitarian crisis. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, leaving Gaza’s fragile infrastructure in complete collapse under relentless bombardment. The international community continues to document grave violations of international humanitarian law. Reports from human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International detail the use of disproportionate force against civilians, the deliberate targeting of essential infrastructure, and the use of indiscriminate airstrikes on densely populated areas. One year into the crisis, Gaza is facing a total collapse of its already fragile healthcare system, exacerbating a humanitarian disaster that many now describe as a ‘genocide’.
The United Nations and other bodies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), have called for immediate investigations into these egregious war crimes. Despite these efforts, accountability remains elusive, and the crisis continues to escalate with no end in sight.
Confronting Misinformation and False Justifications
Throughout this violence, Israel has framed its military actions as “self-defense.” However, this narrative obscures the reality of an entrenched occupation and an illegal blockade that has confined Gaza’s population for decades. The assertion of self-defense cannot justify the mass killing of civilians, the destruction of critical infrastructure, or the ongoing expansion of illegal settlements under the guise of national security.
Adding to this are several instances of misinformation that have distorted the conflict. For example, the widely circulated but unverified claim that Hamas beheaded babies during an attack at Kibbutz Kfar Aza could not be confirmed by Israeli officials or the IDF, despite being amplified in media reports. As The Washington Post reported, “A White House spokesperson later clarified that US officials and the president have not seen pictures or confirmed such reports independently.” Similarly, the narrative that Hamas uses civilians as “human shields” to justify Israeli attacks on densely populated areas shifts focus away from Israel’s legal obligations to protect civilians, regardless of Hamas’s actions. These distortions serve to divert attention from the core issues: occupation, illegal settlements, and the denial of Palestinian rights.
Ultimately, these justifications and misinformation deflect from the root causes of the conflict: the occupation of Palestinian territories, the illegal seizure of land through settlements, and the systemic suppression of Palestinian rights. Extensive reports from organizations like B’Tselem and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have documented Israel’s violations of international law, including the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and the disproportionate use of force in densely populated areas. These actions are part of a broader strategy of ethnic cleansing and territorial expansion, in direct violation of numerous UN resolutions. Framing this violence as self-defense not only perpetuates harm to Palestinians but also undermines international law and the principles of justice.
CMPAC’s Analysis: The Palestinian Struggle Under Occupation
CMPAC’s recent analysis underscores Canada’s obligations under the Genocide Convention, emphasizing that as a party to this treaty, Canada must act to prevent and punish acts of genocide. The analysis highlights compelling evidence of genocidal practices against Palestinians, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank. It points to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion of 2024, which characterized systematic violations of Palestinian rights as genocidal acts. Canada’s failure to impose diplomatic pressure or support accountability initiatives at the ICC exacerbates its complicity in ongoing violations.
Furthermore, the analysis discusses the right of Palestinians to resist occupation, rooted in international law and the principle of self-determination. It draws parallels to historical resistance movements, arguing that framing Palestinian resistance as terrorism ignores the asymmetry of power and the legitimacy of their struggle. The analysis concludes that Canada must adopt a more principled stance, recognizing Palestinian rights and holding Israel accountable for its actions, thereby aligning with its commitments to international law and human rights.
University-Based Protests and the Stifling of Palestinian Solidarity
The October 2024 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association adds another layer of concern. The report highlights the systemic repression of pro-Palestinian solidarity movements across universities worldwide, with students being stigmatized, targeted, and vilified for their peaceful protests against the violence in Gaza. The Special Rapporteur’s findings reveal how university administrations, particularly in Western nations, have engaged in censorship and punitive measures, ranging from arrests to smear campaigns, aimed at silencing those advocating for Palestinian rights. This stifling of peaceful assembly mirrors the broader efforts to delegitimize the Palestinian cause, both on the ground in Gaza and in the global solidarity movement. Students have been unjustly labeled as “terrorism supporters” for expressing solidarity with Palestine, echoing the same oppressive tactics used against Palestinians in Gaza. The report makes it clear that the global suppression of these protests is a violation of international standards, and the ICJ’s ruling further stresses that states have an obligation to refrain from aiding in the occupation or contributing to the humanitarian crisis.
By silencing pro-Palestinian voices and undermining the right to protest, universities and governments worldwide are complicit in perpetuating the occupation and the genocide in Gaza. Canada must not only protect the rights of protesters at home but also challenge the global narrative that seeks to justify Israeli aggression.
Canada’s Responsibility to Act
One year into the genocide in Gaza, Canada’s silence and inaction are indefensible. As a global player committed to peace, human rights, and international law, Canada must take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation and prevent a broader regional conflict. The violence in Gaza has the potential to destabilize the entire Middle East, drawing in neighbouring states and escalating into a full-blown regional war.
We call on the Canadian government to take the following urgent actions:
- A Two-Way Arms Embargo on Israel: Canada must immediately cease all military trade with Israel, cutting off the supply of weapons that fuel the violence. Israel cannot continue its campaign of destruction with impunity while receiving military aid from Canada.
- Diplomatic Pressure and Sanctions: Canada should lead efforts to impose diplomatic and economic sanctions on Israel until it ends its occupation of Palestinian land and lifts the blockade on Gaza. Diplomatic condemnations are not enough – concrete actions must follow.
- Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Canada must unequivocally recognize the State of Palestine and advocate for its full membership in the United Nations. Palestinian self-determination is non-negotiable and must be supported at every level.
- Support for International Accountability: Canada must fully support the ICC and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) investigations into Israeli war crimes. Ensuring international accountability is not just a moral obligation, but a vital step in halting this cycle of violence and bringing justice to the victims of these atrocities.
- Implement UN Recommendations on Protecting Palestinian Advocacy: Canada must take immediate action to implement all 14 recommendations from the UN experts dated September 18, 2024, following the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion on the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory. Canada must also rescind any policies that criminalize advocacy for Palestinian rights and take decisive steps to protect the vulnerable populations affected by the ongoing conflict.
The situation in Gaza is a moral and legal crisis that demands immediate action. Canada must align its foreign policy with the principles of justice, human rights, and the rule of law. Continued inaction will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians and destabilize the region further, making Canada complicit in this humanitarian crisis. As the world watches, Canada faces a critical choice: act now to stand on the right side of history, or be remembered for its complicity in one of the gravest humanitarian crises of our time.
