The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has launched a formal investigation to collect evidence of alleged serious crimes committed during the war between Israel and Hamas, the Toronto Star revealed Tuesday morning. The investigation, which quietly began in early 2024 and has only now been made public, is raising concern and public discussion within Canada’s Jewish and Israeli communities.
Denying Safe Haven to Suspects
The investigation is being conducted under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program (CAHWCP), a Canadian government initiative that brings together the RCMP, the Department of Justice, and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The program is committed to gathering evidence, documenting incidents, and denying safe haven to individuals suspected of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes.
The investigation also includes Canadian citizens who served in the Israel Defense Forces—whether in regular service or as reservists—during the war in the Gaza Strip. According to legal sources, this is a “structural” investigation, intended to establish the legal groundwork for potential future indictments in Canada or before international bodies.
A Quiet Investigation
Unlike the parallel investigation into war crimes committed during the war in Ukraine—which was accompanied by publicity and campaigns to gather testimony—the Gaza-related investigation has been conducted under the radar, without hotlines, public announcements, or transparency.
Record Levels of Antisemitism
Record numbers in 2024: According to a Tel Aviv University report published in April, the number of antisemitic incidents in Canada reached an all-time high last year—6,219 incidents. That’s up from 5,791 in 2023 and nearly triple the number recorded in 2022, which stood at 2,769.
The report noted that the war in Gaza, which broke out in October 2023, was a major factor behind the rise in antisemitic incidents—ranging from verbal abuse and vandalism to physical assaults and the spread of anti-Jewish content on social media. Researchers concluded that Canada has become “a leading Western country in terms of the number of incidents relative to the size of its Jewish community.”
