Trudeau Engages in Dialogue at a Toronto-Area Mosque Amid Growing Demands for a Ceasefire in Israel-Hamas Conflict.
Trudeau’s Visit Coincides with a Letter from Over 30 MPs Urging Him to Champion a Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas.
During an unannounced visit to a Toronto-area mosque on Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced appeals for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“Shame on you. How many more Palestinian children need to be slaughtered?” a woman in the crowd is heard telling Trudeau outside the mosque. “How many more before you call for a ceasefire?”
In a video, Trudeau is captured inside the International Muslims Organization (IMO) Mosque in Etobicoke, Ontario, attempting to address the gathered audience. At one juncture, a man can be heard shouting “Shame,” while another man asks Trudeau, “Do you denounce Israel?
The Prime Minister’s Office did not provide advance notice to the media, and this visit was not included on his public itinerary as of Friday evening. This visit coincides with a letter from more than 30 MPs, urging the prime minister to actively support a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
“Everyone is hurt and hurting, everyone is grieving, everyone is scared of what this means,” Trudeau told reporters Friday in Brampton.
Israel declared war on Hamas following a militant attack on October 7, which resulted in the loss of 1,400 Israeli lives.
As per figures released by the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza, over 4,300 people have been killed in Gaza. Tensions escalated across the Middle East as Israel responded with airstrikes after the deadly Hamas attack, leading to the disruption of water, food, and electricity access in the Palestinian territory. The United Nations contends that these actions contravene international humanitarian law.
Omar Farouk, the president of IMO, confirmed Trudeau’s visit to the mosque but refrained from providing additional details on how the visit unfolded.
A representative from the Prime Minister’s Office stated that the purpose of the mosque visit was to “show his support to those impacted in the Muslim community from the horrific events in the Middle East.”
“Right now, Palestinian, Muslim and Arab communities in Canada are extremely worried, as are Canadians of the Jewish faith,” said Alison Murphy.
