https://www.cna-aiic.ca/fr/blogs/ic-contenu/2025/10/08/laiic-appuie-lappel-du-cii-pour-mettre-fin-aux
We recognize and deeply appreciate your concern for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the devastating impact it has had on health-care workers, civilians, and communities. The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) is deeply committed to the values of compassion, humanity, and the protection of life in all circumstances. As Canada’s national nursing association (representative in a total of 140 countries), our focus remains on promoting the health, safety, and well-being of individuals and communities.
In line with the position of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), CNA supports calls for peace, humanitarian access, and the protection of health-care workers and facilities. We acknowledge and honour the incredible courage of nurses and health-care professionals in the region who are providing care and saving lives under extreme and often life-threatening conditions. CNA has continued to share ICN statements on our social media channels and during the ICN Council of National Representatives on June 7-9, 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, CNA engaged in strategic dialogues with the 100+ countries in attendance including the Palestinian Nursing and Midwifery Association regarding this humanitarian crisis. Notably, ICN produced a video during the week with speakers from several participant countries such as Ukraine, Palestine and Sudan, that was shown during a Congress plenary.
In 2023, CNA publicly called for an immediate end to all violence in Israel and Gaza that endangers civilians and health-care professionals. Our initial statements affirmed the urgent need for humanitarian protections, unimpeded access to medical aid, and respect for international humanitarian law. We invite you to read our web statements on this issue:
Since 2024, CNA has aligned with and promoted ICN communications via various communication channels including social media to CNA members and strongly supported the ICN resolution adopted at the 2025 Council of National Nursing Association Representatives (CNR), which condemned attacks on health-care workers and facilities, called for an immediate ceasefire, and urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law. The resolution reaffirmed the nursing profession’s commitment to upholding human rights, protecting civilians, and ensuring access to health care for all — principles CNA fully endorses.
We understand and share the urgency behind the global call for action, and we will continue to advocate, both nationally and through our international partnerships, for the protection of health-care workers and the prioritization of humanitarian aid and peacebuilding.
Thank you again for your advocacy and engagement on this critical issue and CNA continues to call for peace, justice, and human rights and supports ICN in its messaging to global leaders including the World Health Organization and the United Nations, with the “calls for immediate and sustained action to end the attacks on health care and health workers that are threatening the right to health for millions of people worldwide.”