Israeli air and artillery attacks have continued across occupied Gaza, on 99 out of the past 116 days of the ceasefire, meaning there were only 16 days during which no violent attacks, deaths or injuries were reported. Between October 10, 2025, and January 31, 2026 at least 526 Palestinians have been killed and 1,447 injured according to Al Jazeera.
Dear Ms. Hewitt and Ms. Pecoskie,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) regarding the article titled “Hamilton woman facing city order over pro-Palestine display in her yard” that was published on February 3, 2026.
Thank you for covering the issue of the pro-Palestine display from the perspectives of both Men-Chong Luk and the City of Hamilton’s Bylaws department; as well as Ms. Luk’s reason for using the display for both education and as a peaceful protest.
My concern with the article relates to the sentences referring to the October 7 attacks and the “uneasy ceasefire.”
Your data on the number of deaths on and since October 7 is both confusing and misleading. Yes, more than 1,200 persons were killed in the attacks on October 7. However, of these, at least 809 were civilians, and 314 were Israeli military personnel or security forces.
In the following sentence, “More than 470 Israeli soldiers and at least 71,800 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict…”, it isn’t clear if the number of Israeli Defense forces deaths include the 314 killed on October 7 or not.
I also take issue with the fact that of the 71,800 Palestinians killed, your reporting mentions nothing on the amount of Palestinian civilians counted in the death toll. There is a clear double-standard here as you indicate that “most of the Israelis killed on Oct. 7 were civilians.
In the same sentence you use the term “uneasy” to describe ceasefire.. According to Doctors without Borders a ceasefire is “an agreement that regulates the cessation of all military activity for a given length of time in a given area.” By definition, a ceasefire implies an end to violence. Your use of the term “uneasy ceasefire” would suggest a temporary suspension of active hostilities between Israel and Hamas that remains unsettled and is susceptible to breaking down.
The reality of the ceasefire in Gaza is that it is not ‘uneasy’ but it is broken based on the 1,450 violations of it by Israel.
Israeli air and artillery attacks have continued across occupied Gaza, on 99 out of the past 116 days of the ceasefire, meaning there were only 16 days during which no violent attacks, deaths or injuries were reported. Between October 10, 2025, and January 31, 2026 at least 526 Palestinians have been killed and 1,447 injured according to Al Jazeera.
For consistency, accuracy and clarity I would ask that you consider removing the term “uneasy ceasefire’ and revise the two sentences in the following ways:
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Of the 1200 persons who were killed, at least 809 were civilians and 314 Israeli military personnel or security forces.
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Since October 7, an additional 472 Israeli soldiers and a minimum of 71,800 Palestinians have been killed according to Israel government and Gaza Health Ministry records.
Thank you for considering my requests. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Debbie Hubbard
Kelowna, British Columbia