OTTAWA, Canada, July 18, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement following Hamas’s rejection of Egypt’s ceasefire proposal and Israel’s initiation of a ground operation in the Gaza Strip:
“Canada stands by Israel’s right to defend itself, by itself. Israel will be forced to continue defending itself as long as Hamas continues its rocket attacks against civilians.
“These operations could have been avoided if Hamas had not rejected the Government of Egypt’s ceasefire proposal—a proposal that was accepted by Israel and welcomed by the Palestinian Authority. This proves that Hamas has no interest in peace and bears responsibility for the further tragic loss of life.
“Egypt is the best-placed country in the region to help end the current hostilities. It is a historic leader in regional peace efforts, having successfully brokered numerous ceasefire agreements over the years, and Egypt’s ongoing initiative is the only serious ceasefire proposal on the table.”
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