Canadian MPs heard directly from Palestinian dissidents in Gaza last month about the idea of setting up Hamas-free bubbles in the conflict-ridden Palestinian territory, according to multiple sources.

The listening sessions were facilitated by the New York-based Center for Peace Communications, which patched the officials through to contacts in Gaza and provided Arabic-to-English translations. Multiple sources, including a highly placed source within the Conservative party caucus, have confirmed that MPs took part in these sessions.