"I am requesting that the Toronto Star and the Associated Press add the specific Palestinian death toll to this article, in order to align with the standards of accuracy, fairness and balance set out in the Canadian Association of Journalists ethics guidelines."
To the Toronto Star and Associated Press,
I’m writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express concern about the Associated Press article titled “Orphaned by war in Gaza, Palestinian siblings reunite with their sister in Israel” published today by the Toronto Star.The article gives much-needed attention to the human toll of Israel’s genocide on Palestinians and importantly highlights, in compelling detail, a Palestinian family’s story.
However, we want to point out a double standard. Why is the post-October 7, 2023 death toll presented only for Israelis, but not for Palestinians, when such data are readily available?
Casualty numbers are routinely provided by the Gaza Ministry of Health to the UN, and as of July 15, 2026, 73,246 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023. This death toll is a severe underestimate, as it does not account for Palestinians buried under the rubble or who have died from starvation and lack of medical care due to Israel’s ongoing blockade and siege.
I am requesting that the Toronto Star and the Associated Press add the specific Palestinian death toll to this article, in order to align with the standards of accuracy, fairness and balance set out in the Canadian Association of Journalists ethics guidelines.
I very much look forward to your feedback on this request.
Sincerely,Alison Jenkins