"I am raising this because the media has a responsibility to approach Israeli claims with skepticism, particularly when they are not verified by independent third parties. Failing to do so risks amplifying an Israeli narrative that justifies war crimes, specifically those outlined in article 8(2)(b)(ii) of the Rome Statute (1998), which criminalizes intentionally targeting civilian objects, including homes, schools, and hospitals."
May 7, 2025
To the Globe and Mail editorial team,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East regarding the Associated Press article published today in the Globe and Mail, titled: “Strikes across Gaza kill at least 59 as Israel prepares to ramp up its offensive.”
The article states that “Israel blames Hamas for the death toll because it operates from civilian infrastructure, including schools,” yet offers no skepticism or critical context of Israel’s well-documented history of using misinformation to conceal their war crimes and crimes against humanity. This is deeply troubling from a journalistic point of view.
Israel routinely claims that Hamas operates from civilian sites to justify its attacks on Palestinian homes, schools, and hospitals—claims that are almost always unsubstantiated. For example, on May 15, 2021, Israel bombed a building in the occupied Gaza Strip that was housing an Associated Press office, alleging it was used by Hamas military intelligence. The AP flatly denied this, stating it had no indication of Hamas activity in the building and that Israel provided no credible evidence to support their claim. AP President Gary Pruitt said, “We have had no indication Hamas was in the building or active in the building.”
During Israel's assault on Al Shifa Medical Complex in November 2023, the Israeli military released more than 27 statements accusing the hospital of being used by Hamas to use civilian Palestinians as human shields. However, these accusations were unsupported by credible evidence, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was unable to independently verify them.
This is reflected in their November 8th report:
I am raising this because the media has a responsibility to approach Israeli claims with skepticism, particularly when they are not verified by independent third parties. Failing to do so risks amplifying an Israeli narrative that justifies war crimes, specifically those outlined in article 8(2)(b)(ii) of the Rome Statute (1998), which criminalizes intentionally targeting civilian objects, including homes, schools, and hospitals.
At a minimum, if allegations cannot be independently verified, this lack of verification must be clearly stated. Anything less enables Israel’s impunity and normalizes the targeting of Palestinian civilians.
I, therefore, ask that the following in bold be added: “The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the strikes. Israel blames Hamas for the death toll because it operates from civilian infrastructure, including schools—though it has not provided evidence to support this claim.
Given Israel’s documented history of using false claims to justify the targeting of Palestinian civilians, I respectfully urge you to exercise due diligence by correcting your coverage.
In solidarity,
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East