Canada Hits Hamas, Israeli Settlers, Iran With New Sanctions

Protests in Ottawa, Canada on February 5, 2022  - Dave Chan AFP
Protests in Ottawa, Canada on February 5, 2022 - Dave Chan AFP
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Canada Hits Hamas, Israeli Settlers, Iran With New Sanctions

Protests in Ottawa, Canada on February 5, 2022  - Dave Chan AFP
Protests in Ottawa, Canada on February 5, 2022 - Dave Chan AFP

Canada on Wednesday announced further sanctions against Hamas over its "acts of terror" and several Israeli settlers for "extremist violence" against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

Ottawa also, along with Australia and the United States, added five senior Iranian officials to its sanctions list for their roles in policies leading to the violent repression of protests, AFP reported.

The new sanctions target 11 individuals and two entities with roles in Hamas's financial network that Ottawa said was used in the planning and execution of attacks on Israel launched on October 7, 2023, the government said in a statement.

Four Israelis, as well as the Mount Hebron Fund and Shlom Asiraich, were also listed for "participating in or facilitating acts of harassment and violence, including attacks on humanitarian convoys... and displacement of Palestinian communities."

The latest sanctions against five senior Iranian officials were announced to mark the two years since the death in Iranian custody of Mahsa Amini, following her arrest for an alleged breach of Tehran's strict dress code for women.

As the sanctions were rolled out, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, which is acting as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, along with Egypt and the United States.

Trudeau expressed a "deep concern over the risk of an expanded conflict between Israel and Iran as well as Hezbollah and other Iran-aligned groups," according to a readout of their talks.



Israel Says it Has Secured $8.7 Billion US Aid Package

A worker is raised on a forklift at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment on al-Qaem street in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 26, 2024. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
A worker is raised on a forklift at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment on al-Qaem street in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 26, 2024. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
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Israel Says it Has Secured $8.7 Billion US Aid Package

A worker is raised on a forklift at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment on al-Qaem street in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 26, 2024. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
A worker is raised on a forklift at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment on al-Qaem street in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 26, 2024. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)

Israel said on Thursday it had secured an $8.7 billion aid package from the United States package to support its ongoing military efforts.

The package includes $3.5 billion for essential wartime procurement, which has already been received and earmarked for critical military purchases, and $5.2 billion designated for air defense systems including the Iron Dome anti-missile system and an advanced laser system.

Israel is currently fighting on two fronts, against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.