Kanada no longer wants to supply weapons to Israel in the future. Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed this to the Toronto Star newspaper on Tuesday. This decision is something “tangible” and not symbolic politics. The Canadian government had previously said that “the situation on the ground makes it impossible for us” to export any type of military equipment to Israel, the source told AFP.

On Monday, the House of Commons approved a motion from the center-left NDP party by 204 votes to 117 not to approve any further arms exports. Although this is not binding, it reflects the government's intention, said Joly. As Foreign Minister, she has the power to decide on the export of military goods. Ottawa has delivered protective equipment, communications equipment, firearms and ammunition to Israel following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. At the beginning of January, the export permit was temporarily suspended.

Criticism of Canada's decision

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized the Canadian government's plans. It is “regrettable” that Canada is taking a step that undermines Israel’s right to self-defense against Hamas, he wrote on Platform X. “History will harshly condemn Canada’s current actions,” Katz wrote. The independent left-wing US senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, however, welcomed the delivery stop. The US should “not provide a cent more for Netanyahu’s war machine,” he wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Israel's army says it has killed more than 90 terrorists in and around the Al-Shifa hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip. In addition, emergency services arrested 160 suspects and brought them to Israel for further questioning, the military said in a statement. 300 people were also interviewed on site. According to the military, civilians, patients, medics and medical equipment were not harmed. Soldiers also seized weapons during the operation. The information could not initially be independently verified.