OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday called for a humanitarian corridor to be opened into Gaza, saying urgent help was needed to address an increasingly dire situation in the enclave of 2.3 million.
Trudeau made his remarks after diplomatic efforts failed to get aid to Gaza. Israel, reacting to an attack by Hamas last week that killed more than 1,300 people, has put Gaza under a total blockade and pounded it with unprecedented air strikes.
"Canada is calling for unimpeded humanitarian access and a humanitarian corridor, so that essential aid like food, fuel and water, can be delivered to civilians in Gaza. It is imperative that this happen," Trudeau said.
Canada fully supported Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law, but "even wars have rules", he told the House of Commons lower chamber of parliament.
"Terrorism is always indefensible, and nothing can justify Hamas' acts of terror. ... Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people nor their legitimate aspirations," he said.
Earlier in the day, Ottawa said Canadians should consider leaving Lebanon while they can because of heightened security risks in the region.
Canada has been using two military planes to airlift people who needed help leaving Israel. The first group of Canadians has safely crossed from the West Bank into Jordan and there are also about 300 people in Gaza that Canada is seeking to bring out through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.
Five Canadians have been killed in the Hamas attack on Israel while three are still missing.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
