Canada on Saturday reaffirmed its ban on military exports that could be used in Gaza, dismissing claims in a July 29 report alleging Canadian arms continue to flow to Israel. "Since January 2024, we have refused any new permits for controlled goods that could be used in Gaza. Not one has been approved," Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in a statement. "We went further by freezing all existing permits in 2024 that could have allowed military components to be used in Gaza, and those permits remain suspended today." Anand stressed that Canadian law prohibits the export of controlled goods without a valid permit and warned that violators face fines, seizures, and potential criminal charges. "We will not allow Canadian-made weapons to contribute to this conflict in any form," she said. Responding to the report's allegations, Anand said the Canadian Foreign Ministry's review found several claims "misleading" and that the items labeled as "bullets" were actually paintball-style projectiles paired with equipment that renders a firearm inoperable with standard rounds. "These cannot be used in combat, and if they were, they would require a permit that would not be granted," she added. She also noted that no mortars have been sent from Canadian manufacturers to Israel — directly or indirectly — since before the suspension of permits. The July 29 report, produced by four NGOs — including World Beyond War, the Palestinian Youth Movement, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, and Independent Jewish Voices — cited Israeli tax data indicating Canadian goods labeled as military parts and ammunition were still reaching Israel. Activists also presented commercial shipping documents they said confirmed ammunition and military equipment transfers from Canadian companies. At a news conference in Ottawa on Tuesday, Yara Shoufani of the Palestinian Youth Movement said the findings show "Canada's ongoing material support for Israel despite government denials." — Agencies
