Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has once again called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza following the death of a third Canadian in the escalating conflict. Speaking at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Laos, Trudeau offered his condolences to the family of the Canadian who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon.
Global Affairs Canada has confirmed that officials are in contact with the family of the deceased, though the individual has not yet been publicly identified. This tragedy follows the deaths of two other Canadians, Hussein and Daad Tabaja, in a September airstrike as they attempted to flee southern Lebanon amid intensifying violence between Israel and Hezbollah.
Trudeau stressed the urgent need for peace in the region, saying, “We need that violence to end. We need a ceasefire in Lebanon and in Gaza, we need to get more humanitarian aid in, we need to see the hostages released, we need to see a credible path towards a two-state solution.”
As the violence intensifies, Global Affairs Canada has assisted more than 1,050 Canadians, permanent residents, and their immediate families in leaving Lebanon on chartered flights. However, an estimated 45,000 Canadians remain in the country, despite only 25,000 being officially registered.
The conflict has seen a marked escalation in recent weeks, with Israeli airstrikes hitting central Beirut on Thursday, killing 22 people and wounding dozens more. The attacks, which targeted residential buildings, were reportedly aimed at Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa, though Safa was not present at the time.
Hezbollah’s support for Hamas, which began with rocket attacks into Israel in October 2023, has triggered ongoing Israeli retaliation, including airstrikes and a ground invasion aimed at pushing Hezbollah forces away from the Israel-Lebanon border. Over 2,100 Lebanese, including Hezbollah fighters and civilians, have been killed in the conflict, with more than two-thirds of the casualties occurring in the past few weeks.
In addition, 29 Israeli civilians and 39 soldiers have died due to Hezbollah attacks and Israel’s ground invasion of southern Lebanon.
Trudeau emphasized Canada’s commitment to pursuing a peaceful resolution, stating that the violence must stop to ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need and that efforts toward a two-state solution are reignited.