"As an occupying power, Israel is bound by the Fourth Geneva Convention, which mandates the provision of essential supplies to the civilian population under occupation. The deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, leading to widespread deprivation, has been characterized by the United Nations, mainstream media and human rights organizations as a war crime, specifically the use of starvation as a method of warfare."
May 7, 2025
To:
David Walmsley, Editor-in-Chief, Globe and Mail
Sylvia Stead, Public Editor, Globe and Mail
Sandra Martin, Standards Editor, Globe and Mail
Josef Federman, Associated Press editor
Dear editorial teams of the Globe and Mail and the Associated Press,
I wish to comment on your article “Top UN court wraps a week of hearings on humanitarian aid to Gaza,” reprinted from The Associated Press.
The article demonstrates the subtle but persistent lack of context common to much reporting about Israel’s ongoing attacks on civilians in Gaza and the territories it occupies in the West Bank.
While you note that Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies into Gaza since March 2, it is imperative to contextualize this within the framework of international law. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared in July 2024 that Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, including Gaza, is unlawful, violating fundamental principles of international law and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
As an occupying power, Israel is bound by the Fourth Geneva Convention, which mandates the provision of essential supplies to the civilian population under occupation. The deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, leading to widespread deprivation, has been characterized by the United Nations, mainstream media and human rights organizations as a war crime, specifically the use of starvation as a method of warfare.
For full transparency, The Globe and Mail and the Associated Press have an obligation to incorporate these legal perspectives and findings. Without this context, your audience cannot fully understand the situation and the obligations incumbent upon Israel under international law.
Finally, the article lets stand discredited Israeli claims that UNRWA, which before the present Israeli blockade was responsible for facilitating emergency supplies to Gaza, had been “infiltrated by Hamas,” and involved in the October 7 attack. Although AP mentions that UNRWA denies these claims, you fail to mention that these accusations were investigated by the UN Office of Oversight Services, the highest investigative body in the UN system. Last August that body determined that of the 19 cases raised by Israel, ten had insufficient evidence and in the other 9, evidence provided by Israel was never authenticated or corroborated.
The present, disastrous situation in the Middle East has a long and tangled history. It is important that the media always provide historical context when it is reporting on events there. I urge the Globe and Mail and the Associated Press to include context on Israel’s occupation unlawful under international law and mention that the claims of terrorist infiltration into UNRWA are neither authenticated or corroborated.
Sincerely
Tim McCaskell