Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is urging all parties involved in the U.S.-backed Gaza peace plan to follow through, and Ottawa is looking at how it can support efforts to end the conflict.
"The next 48 hours are crucial," Carney told reporters Thursday morning on Parliament Hill, ahead of a cabinet meeting.
"We're encouraged, but it's the first phase and there's more to come."
Israel and Hamas say they have agreed to the first phase of a plan that would pause the fighting and see Hamas release the 20 living hostages while Israel pulls troops back to an agreed-upon line.
The pause in the fighting is meant to lead to a phased end to the war. Details of the medium and long-term plan are still under discussion.
Carney thanked U.S. President Donald Trump, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey for their work to orchestrate the deal, and urged Israel and "particularly Hamas" to follow through by releasing all hostages, including the deceased.
"The president and I discussed in the White House how Canada can support this process," Carney said, referring to his Tuesday visit to Washington.
"We are supporting with humanitarian aid. There are other mechanisms that we can do to support it."
In a statement on X, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand called for the immediate and unimpeded resumption of humanitarian aid in the besieged territory.
"Canada will support all efforts to turn this positive step into lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians," she wrote.
Global Affairs Canada officials told the Senate foreign affairs committee on Wednesday that it's too soon to say whether Canada will be part of an armed mission to secure a ceasefire or truce in the Gaza Strip.
Stefanie McCollum, a director with the department's Middle East bureau, noted talks continue on setting up an international stabilization force and an apolitical transitional government led by Palestinian technocrats.
"Canada is in active discussions right now to see how Canada will be able to support such initiatives. I can't speak to whether that will entail a deployment or not," McCollum told senators.
"I don't want to presume what the decisions will be. I can say (that) we are actively speaking to our partners, so that if these negotiations are successful, if there is broad agreement to this plan, Canada will be ready to speak to how we can support it."
Carney said last month that he was aware of calls for some sort of stabilization force involving European and Arab governments. He said Ottawa is looking at how it might contribute to those efforts.
Canada has in recent times supported stabilization efforts globally without putting boots on the ground.
In Haiti, Canada is facilitating a mission to rout heavily armed gangs, primarily through assessing local security services' equipment gaps and helping supporting nations provide interchangeable gear. Ottawa also has helped to deploy surveillance planes in Haiti.
Tara Carney, acting director of humanitarian issues, said Canadian aid is ready to be deployed into the Gaza Strip by the United Nations, the Red Cross and other charities.
"There are millions of dollars worth of pre-positioned supplies, including food, water and medicine, awaiting clearances at border crossings," she testified Wednesday alongside McCollum.
"Canada's … partners have the capacity to rapidly scale up, when conditions allow."
Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
