Federal government to match donations for aid to Gaza, West Bank civilians

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The Canadian government will match donations made to the group Humanitarian Coalition as part of its campaign to help Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.

A news release provided by Global Affairs Canada on Friday said the move would support the Gaza Humanitarian Emergency Appeal.

The federal government plans to match every donation made retroactively from Oct. 7 to the end of the campaign on Nov. 12, up to $10 million maximum.

"Canadians believe in helping others in times of need. And as a government, we know we have more to do to support Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank," International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen said in a statement.

"This is why we are joining forces with Canadians in supporting our partners on the ground that are providing urgent, life-saving assistance to those most severely impacted by this humanitarian crisis."

The news release from Global Affairs says these life-saving services include "child protection, shelter, emergency food and nutrition assistance, as well as necessary water, sanitation, health and medical services."

"Canada has strong procedures and oversight in place to ensure aid reaches innocent civilians and prevent it from going into the hands of Hamas," Global Affairs adds.

The Humanitarian Coalition, described as an organization made up of Canada's 12 largest international humanitarian agencies, said in a separate statement that it welcomes the federal government's announcement.

"We call upon all people of good will to work with us to help the innocent civilians caught in the current conflict, especially children, women, elderly and disadvantaged people in Gaza, who are bearing the brunt of the suffering," Richard Morgan, executive director of the Humanitarian Coalition, said.

The federal government says its funding will come from the $50 million in humanitarian assistance it announced on Oct. 21.

On Wednesday, the federal government announced another $10 million in aid.

Officials have reported thousands of deaths in the ongoing war that broke out on Oct. 7 after Hamas, which rules Gaza and has been designated a terrorist entity by Canada for more than two decades, attacked Israel.

More than 1,400 people died in Israel, the Israeli government says, while at least 229 hostages were taken into Gaza, as of Friday, The Associated Press reports.

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has risen to more than 7,300, officials there say. On Thursday, the Gaza Health Ministry released a detailed list of names and identification numbers of those killed, which includes more than 3,000 minors and more than 1,500 women.

Israel has launched a siege on Gaza since the Hamas attack, carried out repeated airstrikes and planned a ground invasion of the Palestinian territory to root out Hamas. Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade on Gaza since 2007.

With files from The Associated Press