14.04°C Vancouver

Mar 11, 2024 5:31 PM -

After criticism, Ottawa pledges $1 million to support Hamas sexual-violence victims

Share On
after-criticism-ottawa-pledges-1-million-to-support-hamas-sexual-violence-victims
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada is pledging $1 million to support victims of sexual violence by Hamas in Israel during last October's attacks .(The Canadian Press)

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada is pledging $1 million to support victims of sexual violence by Hamas in Israel during last October's attacks.

The funding comes with an offer of RCMP support for investigations three months after a group of women who hold political office in Canada called on Ottawa to provide this type of support.

Last week, a UN envoy said there are "reasonable grounds" to believe Hamas committed rape and "sexualized torture" during the attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Israeli women's organizations have criticized their global peers for being slow to acknowledge sexual violence by Hamas, and Canada's envoy for combating antisemitism chalked that delay up to anti-Jewish attitudes.

However, Israeli police say forensic evidence was not preserved in the chaos of the attack, and Hamas killed many of the people who were believed to be victims of sexual assault.

Joly is in Israel as part of a tour of the Middle East to advocate for humanitarian relief for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Latest news

BCJul 08, 2026

RCMP marine unit rescues 11 people after canoe overturns in Burrard Inlet

Eleven people, including several youths, were rescued from the waters of Burrard Inlet after a large canoe overturned near Ambleside Beach on Saturday afternoon, according to the BC RCMP. Police said officers with the RCMP Tactical Marine Operations Group (TMOG), who were conducting patrols in Burrard Inlet, received a distress call over Marine VHF Channel at about 3:30 p.m. on July 5 reporting an overturned canoe off Ambleside Beach. Four TMOG vessels were dispatched to the scene. According to the RCMP, officers arriving at the location found all 11 occupants clinging to the overturned canoe.
AlbertaJul 08, 2026

Report says Alberta has widest gender pay gap in Canada

Women in Alberta continue to earn less than men than in any other province, according to a new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The report found that women in Alberta earn 64 cents for every dollar earned annually by men, compared with a national average of 72 cents. Looking at weekly earnings, women in the province earn 71 cents for every dollar earned by men, while the national average is 80 cents, according to the report. Katherine Scott, a senior researcher with the CCPA, said Alberta has ranked at or near the bottom nationally for years. She said the provinc
family-distracted-store-staff-while-children-swiped-jewelry-calgary-police
AlbertaJul 08, 2026

Family distracted store staff while children swiped jewelry: Calgary police

Police say six family members, including children, worked as a team to pull off a jewelry store heist in Calgary. They say the family went into the store at CF Market Mall last month. Police allege that while adult family members spoke with staff, an eight-year-old and a 16-year-old swiped nearly $4,000 worth of jewelry. An employee called police and officers located the family members, some of whom were in a stolen truck, and stolen items were found. Police say two boys, ages 8 and 9, were returned to their father, who isn't involved in the case. Four others face several theft charges
u-s-tourist-in-critical-condition-after-cyclist-strikes-couple-in-downtown-vancouver-crosswalk
BCJul 08, 2026

U.S. tourist dies after cyclist collision at downtown Vancouver crosswalk

A 72-year-old man from the United States has died after being struck by a cyclist while crossing a downtown Vancouver street, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Police said the collision happened on June 29 at the intersection of West Cordova and Richards streets. Investigators said the man and his wife were crossing in a marked crosswalk and had the right of way when they were hit by a cyclist. The man was taken to hospital in critical condition and underwent emergency surgery following the crash. Police confirmed he died in hospital on Sunday. His wife suffered minor injuries and
CanadaJul 08, 2026

WSO welcomes Operation Hard Ball arrests, says questions remain about alleged role of Indian authorities

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) has welcomed Operation Hard Ball, a joint law enforcement initiative by authorities in the United States, Canada and Europe targeting the Lawrence Bishnoi network and other India-based organized crime groups. In a statement, WSO President Danish Singh said the arrests made through the operation represent an important step but argued that questions remain about how Lawrence Bishnoi was allegedly able to operate an international criminal network while in custody in India. Singh also called for scrutiny of whether any Indian officials played a role in f

Related News