"This paragraph not only glosses over the details of the Tal Al-Sultan massacre that you don't even name, but downplays the brutality of what Israel did and its responsibility: Tents were on fire, Palestinians were burned alive, burned, pulled and beheaded bodies were found, 45 Palestinians were killed, mostly women and children, including a headless child (Ahmad Al-Najar), and 249 Palestinians were injured."
To:
Wafaa Shurafa, Journalist, AP
Josef Federman, News Director, Jerusalem, AP
Dan Taylor, Managing Editor, CTV News
Michael Stittle, Managing Editor, CTV News
Dear Wafaa Shurafa, Josef Federman, Day Taylor, and Michael Stittle,
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express our concerns regarding the article: "Israeli strikes on tent camps near Rafah kill at least 25 and wound 50, Gaza health officials say," published on June 21, 2024, on CTV News.
While you raise no skepticism when reporting on Israeli claims, I take, foremost issue, with one of your paragraphs.
You write:
It comes less than a month after an Israeli bombing triggered a deadly fire that tore through a camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza, drawing widespread international outrage -- including from some of Israel's closest allies -- over the military's expanding offensive into Rafah.
This paragraph not only glosses over the details of the Tal Al-Sultan massacre that you don't even name, but downplays the brutality of what Israel did and its responsibility: Tents were on fire, Palestinians were burned alive, burned, pulled and beheaded bodies were found, 45 Palestinians were killed, mostly women and children, including a headless child (Ahmad Al-Najar), and 249 Palestinians were injured. It is reported that Israel dropped 2,000 pounds of bombs for this massacre alone even if it was designated as a safe zone and that the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to withdraw and cease its military offensive two days prior.
Failing to mention these important details does not help make sense as to why there was widespread international outrage. All over the world, people were outraged by the horrific images of this massacre, notably the image of the headless child being held up, that circulated on social media, considering that a couple of months back Israel falsely claimed that Hamas beheaded 40 babies, which, on the contrary, sparked global outrage.
I ask that, in future reporting, you provide a detailed account of Israel's actions as to not whitewash its crimes.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East