Canada's Trudeau calls for de-escalation by Israel and Hezbollah

People gather at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's southern suburbs

(Reuters) -Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday called for a de-escalation in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and said the killing of women and children in Lebanon was extraordinarily concerning.

Israel struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and its Iran-backed arch-foe attacked military facilities in northern Israel on Tuesday, after Lebanon suffered its deadliest day in decades with more than 500 people killed.

"We need to make sure that civilians are protected. The violence needs to stop," Trudeau told reporters in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly.

"We need to make sure there is de-escalation, both by Israel and Hezbollah. We need to protect civilian lives. We need to make sure we're moving towards peace and stability in the entire region," Trudeau added.

Canada has a significant population of Lebanese descent.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren and Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by Alex Richardson)