Ottawa, ON – September 5, 2025 – On the 700th day since October 7, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) issued the following statement from CEO Noah Shack.
“It has been 700 days since Hamas’s massacre on October 7. For 700 days, we have stood united with families—in Israel, here in Canada, and around the world—whose loved ones were taken hostage or murdered by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists. Today, our thoughts are with all of them, and with the remaining hostages who, at this very moment, continue to endure brutal torture in Hamas captivity. We demand the immediate, unconditional release of every hostage still held in Gaza.”
“Instead of rewarding Hamas with recognition of Palestinian statehood, Canada and its allies must focus on what truly matters: freeing every hostage, dismantling Hamas’s machinery of terror, and working toward a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security.
“Hamas started this war and bears responsibility for the devastation on both sides. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has failed to govern effectively—mired in corruption, funding terrorists, and lacking democratic legitimacy. Recognizing Palestinian statehood now risks entrenching this dysfunction, rather than building a path to peace.
“And here at home, the impact is being felt in painful ways. The legitimization of Hamas’s violence abroad is emboldening extremism here in Canada—we have witnessed an escalation in harassment, intimidation, and attacks on Jewish-owned businesses, schools, synagogues, and kosher grocery stores.
“Our leaders at all levels of government must urgently act. This violence and extremism threaten not only our community, but also the values, democracy, and way of life that all Canadians hold dear.”
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