Mayor Chow calls for ceasefire, return of hostages in Israel-Hamas war

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has joined a growing call for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war that continues to see growing civilian causalities.

In a statement released Friday, Chow also called for the return of all hostages.

“I believe that peace can only come through the immediate and unconditional return of all hostages and a ceasefire, as has been called for by humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations,” Chow wrote.

She also addressed a disturbing rise in hate crimes in the city, calling on residents to uphold Toronto’s reputation as a glowing model of diversity.

“In hard times our common bond is often tested,” she wrote. “The fact remains that antisemitism and Islamophobia exist here. People are scared of being targeted for who they are or what they believe in.”

“As your Mayor, let me be clear: any assault on the freedom of people practicing their faith or religion, is not welcome here. Threatening the safety of businesses is not welcome here. Violence, in all its forms, is not welcome here. Hate is not welcome here.”

Toronto police chief Myron Demkiw recently said the city has seen a disturbing spike in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes, saying police have committed considerable resources to “hold those responsible accountable.”

On Friday morning, the Indigo store and Bay and Bloor streets was vandalized with red paint and posters accusing its Jewish CEO of funding genocide.

The Hate Crimes Unit is investigating that incident.

“When violence and darkness surround us, we must continue to be a welcoming, kind and compassionate city,” Chow stressed.

“That is my responsibility as Mayor and our common cause.”

Chow’s first foray into the sensitive situation in the Middle East was a controversial one.

Shortly after Hamas’ attacks which sparked the latest conflict, Chow wrote on the social media site X: “We must also acknowledge Palestinian pain and severe loss of life during this time. Our thoughts are with Toronto citizens, both Jewish and Palestinian, who have loved ones back home.”

The backlash was swift, prompting Chow to delete the post.

“My earlier tweets on this have been deleted because of the harm and confusion they caused,” she explained.

In an interview with CityNews after the controversy, she explained: “I want to be very clear that I condemned Hamas’ brutal act of violence and I don’t want to see any civilians hurt.”