Mr. Speaker, I will begin by thanking the New Democratic Party for bringing this topic forward for the emergency debate this evening.
There must be no war in Lebanon, full stop. This most recent outbreak of conflict is part of a long-standing cycle of violence in the Middle East. History has taught us that civilians always bear the heaviest price of senseless violence. The continued attacks on Israel by Hamas, a terrorist organization, are unacceptable. Hezbollah, another terrorist organization, has been launching rockets at Israel for nearly a year. Moreover, today's attack on Israel by Iran, a state sponsor of terror, is devastating.
We have reports of hundreds of long-range ballistic missiles from Iran, some of which have hit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. We unequivocally condemn this unprecedented escalation, which has forced millions of Israelis to take shelter. We reaffirm Israel's right to defend itself. These attacks only serve to destabilize the region further. Canada will continue to do everything in its power to hold Iran accountable for its role in funding terrorist organizations. We urge all parties involved to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and humanitarian workers, and avoid any actions that could ignite a regional war.
We are gravely concerned for civilians in Lebanon, including thousands of Canadians. The safety and security of our citizens at home and abroad is our top priority. Thus far, we have been devastated by the deaths of two Canadians, Hussein and Daad Tabaja, who were killed by an IDF air strike while fleeing Beirut. All they sought was to live in security, peace and dignity. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has spoken to the sons of Hussein and Daad. While extending her deepest condolences on the passing of their parents, the minister also made clear that she would do all in her power to ensure that Canadians in Lebanon are kept safe. The potential for wider conflict across the Middle East has not been more imminent for decades. The costs of inaction are far too great.
I will be sharing my time with the member for Mississauga—Erin Mills.
We owe it to the people of Lebanon, Israel and the region to make tangible progress towards peace and stability. Canada is exploring every possible avenue to ensure a diplomatic solution to the crisis between Hezbollah and Israel. Immediate action to stop the violence is urgently needed.
Canada is committed to continuing its work with the international community to help advance peace in the region. Alongside our allies, we have endorsed a diplomatic settlement and call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israeli border to provide space for diplomacy. We are also pushing for full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the cessation of all hostilities in Lebanon.
The Prime Minister has engaged leaders from across the region in search of a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. In the past days alone, the Prime Minister has had the opportunity to discuss the situation between Hezbollah and Israel with the Prime Minister of Lebanon and the King of Jordan.
Last week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was in New York to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. While there, she called on all parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the temporary ceasefire immediately. In the past days, the foreign minister has also met with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, the foreign minister of Lebanon, G7 foreign ministers and Arab foreign ministers; she has also been in contact with the Israeli foreign minister. The message is consistent and clear: We must see a de-escalation of tensions at the border between Lebanon and Israel.
In response to the worsening conditions in Lebanon, Canada is stepping up its humanitarian efforts. On Saturday, the government announced an additional $10 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of civilians affected by the conflict. This funding will provide food, water, emergency health care, protection services and other life-saving aid to the more than one million people believed to be newly displaced. This contribution is in addition to the $10 million already allocated by the United Nations central emergency response fund, bringing Canada's total humanitarian assistance for Lebanon in 2024 to $37 million.
Since October 2023, we have been advising Canadians in Lebanon to leave. As the security situation along the border between Israel and Lebanon has been deteriorating, we have been clear with Canadians that now is not the time to travel to Lebanon. The Beirut international airport remains open to commercial flights.
We have already helped secure the departure of hundreds of Canadians through commercial means. Today, we announced that we will increase the capacity for commercial flights out of Lebanon by securing an additional 800 seats for Canadians, permanent residents and their immediate family over the course of the next three days. There is a flight scheduled to depart today.
It is critical that Canadians in Lebanon leave now. If they have not registered with the registration of Canadians abroad, or ROCA, they should do so now. Canadian consular officials and embassy staff will use this system to communicate and transmit instructions to those in danger. If they are offered a seat on a commercial flight by ROCA, they should take it as soon as possible. Canadians looking to leave Lebanon should also make sure that their travel documents and those of their spouse and dependent children are up to date and secure.
We will continue to work with industry, international partners and like-minded countries to coordinate contingency planning efforts to respond, should the situation deteriorate further. In the past months, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has visited the region several times to secure agreements with like-minded countries for use in the event that a large-scale evacuation of Canadians in Lebanon is necessary. We have also increased our diplomatic, consular and security capabilities in the region, such that we can respond more quickly and effectively as the situation continues to worsen.
We will exercise every tool at our disposal to ensure that Canadians, permanent residents and their immediate families in Lebanon are safe. We call on all parties to accept the temporary ceasefire.
Should any members of the House require support in providing consular services to their constituents, they should encourage them to reach out to the emergency watch and response centre. Furthermore, they should not hesitate to contact me or Global Affairs Canada.
The situation in the Middle East is an unspeakable tragedy. Civilians in Lebanon and Israel, as well as across the region, must be protected and cannot bear the cost of this conflict.
Canada is committed not only to ensuring the safety and security of its citizens but also to reaching a diplomatic settlement in this conflict. Canada has joined allies in calling for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border. All parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, must endorse the temporary ceasefire immediately. Of course, at the same time, we continue to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Canada is committed to the pursuit of peace. We will continue to work with our international partners to advance stability in the Middle East, and we will do everything in our power to protect civilians, hold bad actors to account and push for a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
Now is the time to give a real chance for diplomacy and for peace.