Article lists the number of people killed and injured by Hamas without attribution

"Mr. Woods then reverts to the long standing IDF script and quotes Lt-Col. Jonathan Conricus as indicating Hamas “use civilian buildings for military purposes, which makes it a legitimate military target” without any accreditation to this charge. Why does Mr. Woods expect the civilian casualties will increase when civilian buildings allegedly used by Hamas fighters are bombed?"


October 11, 2023

To: Donovan Vincent, Public Editor, Toronto Star

Allan Woods, Journalist, Toronto Star

Dear Mr. Vincent and Mr. Woods, 

I write to you concerning the recent article written by Mr. Woods based upon his meeting and discussion with Lt-Col. Jonathan Conricus who Mr. Woods identifies as an IDF spokesperson. They discussed Israel fighting on three fronts and aspects of the situation in and around Gaza.

In war, the first casualty is The Truth, a fact Mr. Woods should know given his position as a journalist for the Toronto Star. Yet, Mr. Woods serves as a conduit for the propaganda of the Israeli Defense Forces who according to Lt-Col. Jonathan Conricus have “sustained extremely heavy casualties”.  In other informed media such as the CBC, 121 IDF soldiers were killed during the attack by Hamas fighters, however, Mr. Woods provides the IDF with a soapbox to announce “extremely heavy casualties”.

Mr. Woods then proceeds to announce the numbers of dead and wounded inflicted by Hamas fighters without any accreditation and without distinction between civilian and military.

One of the first rules of reporting from a conflict zone is to check all information provided by a single protagonist. Independent sources are usually reliable.

I do compliment Mr. Woods on referencing the Palestinian dead and wounded as being data from the Palestinian Health Ministry and to further indicate more Palestinian casualties are expected from further Israel bombing. He makes no mention of those Palestinians currently buried in the ruble of their homes.

Mr. Woods then reverts to the long standing IDF script and quotes Lt-Col. Jonathan Conricus as indicating Hamas “use civilian buildings for military purposes, which makes it a legitimate military target” without any accreditation to this charge. Why does Mr. Woods expect the civilian casualties will increase when civilian buildings allegedly used by Hamas fighters are bombed?

I request Mr. Woods review a copy of the Canadian Association of Journalists ethics guidelines available at https://caj.ca/ethics/  and apply these to any further reports from the conflict in the Middle East.

In doing so, I expect Mr. Woods will file more balanced articles without quoting the IDF propaganda.

Sincerely,

Tom

Walter Thomas Beckett