On Anniversary of Sinwar’s Death, CIJA Calls for Stronger Action Against Terrorism as Hamas Leaders Continue to be Glorified in Canada
Ottawa, ON—October 16, 2026—On the second anniversary of the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7 terrorist attacks, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) released the following statement:
“Two years ago today, Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who orchestrated the October 7 massacre, was killed.
“Sinwar’s life was once saved by Israeli doctors who treated his cancer, and he was later released from an Israeli prison in the 2011 deal that secured Gilad Shalit’s freedom. He went on to mastermind the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Proportionally, the 1,200 people murdered in Israel would be equivalent to approximately 4,000 Canadians killed in a single day.
“Yet extremists in Canada continue to glorify Sinwar as a “martyr” and openly celebrate the murder of Jews. At Bathurst and Sheppard in Toronto, Hamas supporters cosplayed as Sinwar to taunt Jewish residents. Last week in Montreal, protesters marked the October 7 anniversary by reading Sinwar’s writings.
“At the University of Toronto earlier this month, protesters read the words of Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif and declared their actions an extension of October 7. And this past summer, Toronto Police arrested and charged a pro-Palestinian activist leader with offences related to allegedly acting in association with, and for the benefit of, Hamas.
“Our governments must get tough on terror. That means strengthening laws against the wilful promotion of terrorism, enforcing existing laws, and confronting the open-air radicalization on our streets that security experts warn poses a serious threat to Canadians.”
-30-
Background Information
- David Vigneault, former CSIS Director, warned on the BBC that people who do not know what they are talking about have exploited criticism of Israel to fuel radicalization, antisemitism, and even commit terrorist acts on Canadian soil.
