Canada Pushes Back on Gaza Arms Allegations, Says No Weapons Permits Approved Since 2024

Canada has strongly denied claims that its weapons or military equipment have reached Gaza, issuing a forceful statement that defends its export control regime and warns of legal consequences for any company that violates it. 

The statement from Foreign Minister Anita Anand, released Thursday night, followed the publication of a report on July 29 accusing Canada of indirectly fueling the conflict through lax arms oversight. 

Image Source: Basu Ashis on X

That report, which triggered heated debate across political and activist circles, alleged that Canadian-origin military goods were found in use in the Gaza Strip, a claim Anand called misleading and based on factual misrepresentation.

Anand clarified that Canada has refused every single permit request for controlled goods destined for use in Gaza since January 2024. 

Not one has been approved. Moreover, all existing permits that could have enabled the export of military components to the region were frozen last year and remain suspended. 

“We will not allow Canadian-made weapons to fuel this conflict in any way,” Anand said, adding that any company found attempting to circumvent the country’s rigorous export controls would face fines, seizures, and even criminal prosecution.

The government further dismantled specific claims in the July report, noting that items described as “bullets” were actually paintball-style projectiles designed to render weapons inoperable with traditional rounds. 

It stated unequivocally that no mortars had been exported by Canadian manufacturers to Israel, directly or indirectly, since the suspension of permits. Allegations of explosive materials being transported on civilian aircraft were labeled entirely false.

This sharp rebuttal from Ottawa arrives amid a larger storm of international condemnation over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. 

With images of skeletal children and stampedes for food aid dominating global media, many countries are under pressure to clarify their positions not just on the conflict, but also on how their defense exports might be used. 

While Canada has not joined allies like France, the UK, or Canada in recognizing Palestinian statehood, it has signaled increasing unease with Israel’s actions and insisted that it will not be complicit in the deterioration of humanitarian norms.

Ottawa’s position also draws a clear line between diplomatic support and legal compliance. 

The statement asserts that Canada continues to deny all export permits for any material that could be used in the Gaza Strip, and that any credible report of circumvention would trigger immediate legal sanctions.

This defense comes at a crucial moment. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels, with aid agencies warning that famine is no longer a future threat but an active reality. 

International criticism of Israel’s blockade and restricted aid access has intensified, particularly after dozens of Palestinians were killed in recent days while trying to collect food. 

In that context, countries like Canada are being held to a higher standard for what they approve behind closed doors.