Two years and a day after the horrific Hamas terror attacks of October 7, 2023, and the ensuing Israel–Hamas war, we are elated to hear the announcement of an agreement between Hamas and Israel on the first phase of a plan to end the war.
In that time, we have been calling for an end to the fighting, the return of the hostages, and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. These priorities are now reflected in the first phase of this agreement.
The intensified pressure on both sides to reach a deal appears to have borne fruit. The sustained global attention on the region, after decades of neglect and attempts to uphold a mirage of a status quo, has also contributed to this dramatic shift.
We thank the Government of Canada for the steps it has taken over the past two years: pressing for the release of hostages, condemning Hamas and affirming that it has no future role in Gaza, and recognizing a Palestinian state as a step toward preserving a two-state solution. In doing so, Canada has reaffirmed its long-standing policy and commitment to a future where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in safety, security, and sovereignty.
We also thank our Jewish community. For continuing to champion the deep bond that unites Jews around the world with our siblings in Israel; for grappling with difficult questions about the war while remaining open to dialogue and respectful debate, as our Jewish tradition commands; and for maintaining hope, no matter how fragile it has felt at times.
“In Jewish tradition, we are not called merely to pray for peace,” said Maytal Kowalski, Executive Director of JSpaceCanada. “We are called to pursue it, and that pursuit is central to the vision of Judaism. These are the first steps toward what we hope will be a new dawn in the Middle East, where the work we have so tirelessly championed, the realization of a two-state solution and an end to the bloodshed, may finally come to fruition. We recommit ourselves to continuing to pursue this path, now more than ever.”