SHAH ALAM - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has finally voiced out against the Israeli aggression on Gaza, telling them that "all wars have rules”.
He said the human tragedy that was unfolding in Gaza was heart-wrenching, especially the sufferings that can be seen in and around the Al-Shifa Hospital leaving thousands of Palestinians trapped following the Israeli forces' raids in the building.
"I have been clear that the price of justice cannot be the continued suffering of all Palestinian civilians. Even wars have rules. All innocent lives are equal, worthy, Israeli and Palestinian.
"I urge the government of Israel to exercise maximum restraint,” Trudeau said in his sharpest criticism of Israel since the war on Gaza broke out nearly six weeks ago.
Trudeau went on to say that the world was watching, be it on television or social media and the world was hearing testimonies of doctors, family members, survivors and children who have lost their parents.
"The world is witnessing this, the killing of women, of children, of babies. This has to stop,” he told a news conference in the western province of British Columbia.
Trudeau has also faced growing pressure to state his position on the ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
On Oct 28, Canada abstained on an emergency resolution at the UN General Assembly calling for an "immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities” in Gaza.
The motion, drafted by Jordan was not binding but carried political weight, with 120 nations voting in favour and only 14 – including the United States (US) and Israel – voting no.
A total of 45 countries including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), Germany and India had abstained from voting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the Canadian leader, insisting that Hamas was responsible for civilians' deaths as Israeli forces continued to batter the enclave.
He denied that Israeli forces had deliberately targeted civilians but Hamas were the ones beheading and had massacred civilians "in the worst horrors perpetrated on Jews since the Holocaust.”
"The forces of civilisation must back Israel in defeating Hamas barbarism,” Netanyahu said.
On Nov 3 during his visit to Washington, Trudeau was called out by an Internet user for his "Freudian slip” where he almost said the word "ceasefire” before backtracking, opting to say "ceasing” instead.
He went on to say that there was a need for a "humanitarian pause" in the Israel-Hamas war, highlighting the need to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza.
His statement, which had been shared across various social media platforms had users fuming as to why he could not simply declare the need for a ceasefire.
The video made its round online with internet users saying it was a "Freudian slip” from the Canadian leader.
They also urged Trudeau to brush away the diplomatic apprehensions and clearly call for a ceasefire.
Social media users said Trudeau wanted to use the word ceasefire but had to pause himself midway as the West had largely refrained from calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
About 350 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and families have been evacuated from Gaza, he added.
On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron had called for a ceasefire stating that there was "no justification” for the bombings.
He said Israel must stop killing babies and women in Gaza and that a ceasefire would actually benefit them, adding that he also hoped the other leaders namely from US and UK joined his calls for a ceasefire.