"The article closes with AP's boilerplate characterization of the Israeli attacks as 'retaliatory.' The ethnic cleansing, genocide and violence against Palestinians has been ongoing for nearly 75 years. It did not begin in October 2023."
To the Winnipeg CityNews and Associated Press,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace regarding the article titled: “Israeli fire in Gaza kills 5 people, including a little girl, health officials say” published on July 12, 2026.
While the first sentence of the article makes it clear that those killed by Israel were Palestinians, the headline only refers to "people." While it is important to remind readers that Palestinians are people in a context where Palestinian humanity is regularly hidden under a blanket of Israeli propaganda and nameless casualty statistics, in the broader context of Israel's attempts to erase Palestinian identity, it is important that headlines do not contribute to this erasure.
We therefore request that the article’s headline be revised to specifically identify the Palestinian identity, in the interest of accurate and fair reporting: “Israeli fire in Gaza kills 5 Palestinians.”
Likewise, although the target of the strike is identified as a blacksmith's shop, there is no Palestinian rebuttal or skepticism expressed toward Israeli claims that the target was "terrorist infrastructure."
The piece provides important information about casualties from Israel's ongoing attacks since the "ceasefire," and one Palestinian victim, nine-year-old Tala Abu Matar is at least afforded the dignity of a name. The fact that the evacuation order only came after the first strike captures the cynicism of the Israeli forces.
Yet, the article closes with AP's boilerplate characterization of the Israeli attacks as "retaliatory." The ethnic cleansing, genocide and violence against Palestinians has been ongoing for nearly 75 years. It did not begin in October 2023.
To be fair and accurate, the media always needs to cite Palestinian perspectives, name Palestinian victims of the violence, and situate its reports in the context of Israel's long history of ethnic cleansing and genocide.
Sincerely
Tim McCaskell
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