Canada stands behind US on attack on Gaza hospital

Defense Minister Bill Blair may answer further questions Monday about evidence Canada collected to say a rocket attack on a hospital in Gaza City did not come from Israel.

Mr Blair made the statement last Saturday evening, five days after the explosion at Ahli Arab Hospital.

The explosion came nine days after a resumption of conflict in the region following a surprise attack by Hamas militants in Israel that triggered retaliation by the Jewish state in the Gaza Strip.

Minister Blair said Canadian Forces Intelligence Command conducted its own analysis of the evidence and came to a conclusion that matches those of the United States and France.

Israel said satellite images and intercepted communications show the rocket was fired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In Paris, French authorities say the size of the rocket itself indicates Palestinian, not Israeli, sources.

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The Canadian Department of National Defense says it is basing its determination on an analysis of the damage caused by the explosion to the hospital, including adjacent buildings, as well as the flight path of the munition.

Following the release of Canada’s findings on the source of the explosion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke on Sunday with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as well as leaders from the United States, United Kingdom , France, Germany and Italy.

Both calls focused on the need to release all remaining hostages and protect civilians.

Inconclusive summit

A peace summit in Cairo, Egypt, left more questions than answers about what could happen next in the conflict that saw 1,400 Israelis killed in the initial Hamas attack and at least 4,600 Palestinians dead in subsequent Israeli airstrikes.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly was at the summit and her office indicated she might be able to speak to reporters about the event on Monday.

Canada has called on Israel and Egypt to do more to ensure needed humanitarian aid reaches Gaza. A first small delivery of food, medical supplies and fuel was made over the weekend, but the needs are dire.

Mme Joly herself last week called Gaza the worst place in the world to live in today.

Egypt and Jordan both made clear at the summit that they would not allow Israel to drive 2.3 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, while Israel made clear its intention to continue its military action until Hamas is eradicated.

This conflict began on October 7 when Hamas militants attacked Israel with rockets and by land across the border with the Gaza Strip, hitting a music festival and several agricultural cooperatives known as kibbutzim.

These attacks killed 1,400 people, including at least six Canadians, and injured several thousand others; Hamas also took more than 200 people hostage, including children.

Israel responded forcefully, firing rockets into Gaza, and the fighting has since killed around 4,600 Palestinians.

Hamas is a militant organization that took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007. Canada has designated it a terrorist organization since 2002. Israel and Egypt both imposed a blockade on Gaza after Hamas took power. Hamas.

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