Toronto, July 21, 2025 – Save the Children welcomes the joint statement issued today by the Government of Canada and 25 international partners calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza. The unified global message is clear: the suffering must stop, and international humanitarian law must be upheld.
Children in Gaza are living through an unprecedented crisis. More than 17,000 children have been killed or injured since the conflict escalated, and those who survive face daily trauma, hunger, displacement, and the destruction of their schools, homes, and futures.
The Government of Israel must immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid to Gaza, allowing unimpeded access for humanitarian organizations to deliver life-saving assistance to children and families in dire need. Denying children access to food, water and medicine is a clear violation of international law and must cease immediately.
“This is a defining moment for Canada’s global leadership,” said Danny Glenwright, President and CEO of Save the Children. “We are witnessing a level of devastation in Gaza that should shock the conscience of all Canadians—and yet, we continue to fall short in protecting the most innocent: children. Children are being bombed in their tents, starved, continuously displaced, and denied their right to safety, education, and even clean water. Canada must not stand by. If we are serious about upholding human rights and the rules-based international order, we must act decisively.
“That means holding all parties accountable for grave violations against children, including the Government of Israel. It means halting all direct and indirect transfer of weapons that could be used to commit violations of international law. It means ensuring unrestricted humanitarian access and putting children’s recovery and well-being at the heart of our response. It means increasing pressure for an immediate and definitive ceasefire.
“History will remember what we did—or failed to do—in this moment. Canada must lead with action, courage, and compassion, not just words.”
The international community cannot allow a precedent of impunity to take hold in Gaza. Failing to act now will not only fail the children of Gaza—it will undermine global norms and jeopardize our ability to support children in crises around the world.
Canada must turn its words into action. The world is watching.
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