Palestine: Facing a Genocide, Apartheid and Occupation

Since October 7th, 2023, Gaza has endured relentless and indiscriminate bombardment by Israeli military forces, resulting in the killings of over 60,000 Palestinians, majority of whom are women, children and those over 65. According to the Lancet Medical Journal, as of July 2024, the true death toll is likely to be more than 186,000 people from the combined effects of Israel's attacks.

The unprecedented situation has reached a critical point, with Gaza's infrastructure, hospitals, and shelters targeted. This unyielding aggression calls for urgent attention and coordinated efforts, especially from the Canadian government, to secure a ceasefire and address the humanitarian crisis. Canada, bound by its obligations under international law and as a member of the United Nations and the Genocide Convention, holds a crucial role in advocating for the immediate cessation of hostilities and ensuring the protection of civilian lives in Gaza. The next steps for the Canadian government include holding Israel accountable for its crimes against Humanity, actively supporting and encouraging the implementation of the measures granted by the ICJ and working with world leaders to end the siege on Gaza.

A new UN Commission of Inquiry confirmed that Israeli authorities and security forces have committed and are continuing to commit genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Take action now!

BACKGROUND: Since Oct 2023, we've witnessed unbearable scenes in Gaza. Palestinian children starve because food is blocked, families hunted by snipers, whole neighbourhoods, hospitals, schools, and places of worship incinerated by Israeli bombs. Nearly 63,000 Palestinians have been killed, including over 18,000 children, 1,500 healthcare workers, and 247 media workers. UN Independent expert Francesca Albanese concluded Israel’s actions amount to genocide. In January 2024, the ICJ ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide. In July 2025, Israeli human rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights described the war as a “deliberate action to destroy Palestinian society in Gaza.” On September 1, the International Association of Genocide Scholars backed the resolution declaring Israel’s “policies and actions” met the legal definition set out in article II of the 1948 UN convention on Genocide. The time is now for your MPs to Call it Genocide.

Call It Genocide Campaign

Justice For All Canada welcomes Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to recognize the State of Palestine (Sept 2025). He also directly acknowledged Israel’s violations of international law which have killed tens of thousands of civilians, forcibly displaced over 1 million Palestinians, and its imposed famine. We are disappointed that it took decades of persecution, including a two-year genocide and forced starvation in Gaza, for Canada to recognize the State of Palestine.

This is nonetheless a concrete step. Yet it comes with conditions on Palestinian governance that risk undermining the very principle of self-determination as it relates to statehood. The government’s recognition, therefore, must now be matched with action.

Read out full statement: Canada's Landmark Recognition of a Palestinians State

Attacks on Gaza

Given the nature of the ongoing crisis, it is challenging for human rights groups to stay updated with the rapidly changing situation. While it is impossible to describe the suffering of Palestinian civilians, below represents a summary of the devastating civilian and institutional toll emerging from the regions of Gaza and the Occupied West Bank.

Victim of Ecocide: Experts confirm that the land that used to house lush olive trees and strawberry fields has all been destroyed by the continuous bombing. "David R. Boyd, the UN special rapporteur for human rights and the environment, noted that Israel's military operations have resulted in massive carbon pollution, contaminating air, water, and soil with toxic substances. These operations have destroyed Gaza's water and sanitation infrastructure, exacerbating the already dire water crisis." - By Noor Badri (University of California Global Health Institute)

Victims of Scholasticide: Israel has systematically targeted Palestinian academics and institutions, depriving future generations of leadership in education and scientific research. Israeli airstrikes have destroyed more than 11 higher education buildings, killed at least 439 members of Palestinian university communities, and severely disrupted access to education for over 88,000 students in Gaza alone.

Your Advocacy in Action

Israel’s Child and Teenage Prisoners of Conscience

Ceasefire

Justice For All Canada recognizes that the January 2025 ceasefire agreement offered a shamefully delayed yet momentary respite for Palestinians in Gaza after enduring months of relentless bombardment and deprivation by Israeli forces.

Unfortunately Israel ended that short period of respite by killing 400 Palestinians during air raids officially breaking the ceasefire.

Read our full statement ➔ Ceasefire at a Cost of Ongoing Bombardment and Unmet Justice in Gaza

International Criminal Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Israeli war criminals.

In May 2024, the ICC (International Criminal Court) Chief Prosecutor submitted an application for warrants of arrest for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the defence minister at the time, Yoav Gallant.

On November 21st, the ICC issued the warrants of arrests for both Israeli officials for their war crimes and crimes against humanity. The warrants were issued on the grounds that they both have deliberately harmed civilians in Palestine and used hunger as a weapon of war.

"The Chamber found that their conduct led to the disruption of the ability of humanitarian organisations to provide food and other essential goods to the population in need in Gaza."

"In addition, by intentionally limiting or preventing medical supplies and medicine from getting into Gaza, in particular anaesthetics and anaesthesia machines, the two individuals are also responsible for inflicting great suffering by means of inhumane acts on persons in need of treatment."

Justice For All Canada welcomes this decision by the ICC and is urging the Canadian government to take a stand for Justice by supporting this case. On the same day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said "we will abide by all the regulations and rulings of the international courts". We want to see a stronger stance in support of the Palestinian people and concrete action from the Canadian government in holding these war criminals accountable.

1,000 Canadian Academics Demand Immediate Ceasefire as Gaza’s Educational Institutions and Wider Communities Face Destruction

62% of all homes in Gaza are destroyed. That is equivalent to 290,820 housing units. 378 Schools and all 12 universities in Gaza destroyed, leaving thousands of students without access to education and killing over 100 Palestinian Academics.

On the one-year anniversary of Israel’s deadly escalation of violence in Gaza, over 1,000 Canadian professors, students, and scholars united to call on university and college leaders as well as the Federal government for an immediate ceasefire in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Organized by Justice For All Canada in partnership with Canadian Palestinian advocates and academic leaders, the joint letter, addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and signed by members of Canada’s academic community, condemns the ongoing targeting of academic institutions and the broader Palestinian population, which continues to face deadly attacks from Israeli military forces. You can read our official statement here.

Our Demands to the Canadian Government

Justice For All Canada vehemently denounces the Israeli military’s continued violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Gaza and continues to advocate on the ground and at the state level for an end to the Genocide and apartheid.

To address these egregious violations of international law and prevent further atrocities, Justice For All Canada urgently calls for immediate implementation of the following measures:

Amplify Your Impact: Demand Justice for Palestine!

Take Action Now—These initiatives prepared by Justice for All Canada are opportunities to lend your solidarity to Palestinians, condemn the ongoing crimes against humanity committed by Israel, and demand action from Canada. Holding onto hope is not just essential; it is an act of resilience. Our persistent engagement in these targeted actions exerts sustained pressure on the Canadian government required to reshape policies and narratives. Participate to address the humanitarian crisis and prevent further acts of genocide.

Demand Canada to Enforce a Ceasefire
Join the Media Watch Team to demand unbiased and accurate reporting of Israel’s Genocide

International Court of Justice
Genocide Case Against Israel

ICJ’s advisory opinion on Israel’s Obligations

From April 28th - May 2nd, 2025 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) held hearings at the request of the United Nations. The hearings focused on Israel's obligations to allow UN agencies and other international organizations to operate in the occupied territories, and its obligations under International law. Click here to get the highlights of the week-long hearings. During that period, Justice For All Canada raised awareness and urged Canadian civil society to follow the proceedings. We highlighted Canada’s silence and the need for legal accountability. The ICJ will likely take several months to deliver its opinion.

Read Report

Israel: An Apartheid State

In 2022, human rights groups and experts formally implicated Israel as being responsible for committing the crime of apartheid against the people of Palestine in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Amnesty defines apartheid as “inhumane acts carried out in an institutionalized regime that systematically oppresses and dominates one racial group over another.” The crimes against humanity experienced by Palestinians are prohibited under the Apartheid Convention, the Rome Statute, including other customary international human rights laws. The Canadian government has not acknowledged these reports, nor has it ever acknowledged or condemned Israel’s cruel system of dominance over the Palestinian people.

Israel's apartheid policies in the occupied region have resulted in severe human rights violations:

ISOLATION

Through mechanisms of confining and concentrating, Israel has created isolation in Palestinian communities, restricting their movement and connection.

FRAGMENTATION

The imposition of laws and policies has deliberately fractured the collective identity of Palestinians, politically and territorially.

DISPOSSESSION

Israeli forces have illegally seized properties, demolished homes, and forcibly evicted Palestinian homeowners, leading to widespread dispossession.

SEGREGATION

Systemic separation enforced by Israel perpetuates discrimination and fosters sense of inferiority among Palestinians.

OPPRESSION

The events of May 2021 reflect longstanding discrimination, repression of dissent, use of force, prioritizing interests of Jewish Israelis at the expense of Palestinians.

DOMINATION

Israel's policies explicitly aim to maximize Jewish control over land, establishing system of domination that exacerbates disparities between communities.

DISCRIMINATORY LEGAL SYSTEM

Israel's legal system in the occupied territories imposes discriminatory practices, treating Palestinians differently than Jewish settlers.

UNEQUAL RESOURCE ALLOCATION

Unequal distribution of resources, such as water and infrastructure development, disproportionately favours Israeli settlements while neglecting Palestinian communities.

EDUCATION RESTRICTIONS

Palestinians face restrictions on access to education, with disparities in funding, quality, and opportunities compared to Israeli citizens.

LIMITED FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT

Palestinians often encounter restrictions on freedom of movement, including checkpoints, barriers, and segregated roads hindering daily life.

LAND CONFISCATION

Ongoing land confiscation and expansion of Israeli settlements contribute to displacement of Palestinian communities, exacerbating the apartheid-like conditions.

ARBITRARY DETENTION

Palestinians, including children, often face arbitrary arrests and detentions, with a legal system devoid of process and fair trials.