"The article casts some doubt on the accuracy of reported Gazan casualties and in doing so, contributes to anti-Palestinian racism by dismissing well-established evidence of mass civilian harm as unreliable because the health-ministry was backed terror-group. We feel these points should be clarified in print and would welcome your comments."
To – The Vancouver CityNews and The Associated Press editorial newsrooms
JULY 31, 2026
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, relating to the following article titled, “Hamas says it will disarm if Israel halts strikes and withdraws from Gaza, but
obstacles remain”.
There are a couple of issues we would like to bring forward that would balance the article and reflect on the fact that Hamas is not the only party dragging its feet towards disarmament and peace. As
outlined in this Aljazeera article, Israel continues strike violations and expansion of control within Gaza killing more civilians. Additionally, Israel did not release all the prisoners agreed on in earlier
negotiations. They continue to restrict vital aid to civilians, and they have not allowed the reopening of the Rafah border.
Lastly, I also take issue with the following statement in your article, “The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government and is staffed by medical professionals, does not distinguish between
civilians and militants in its toll but says women and children make up around half of all deaths”. This is inaccurate. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
relies on casualty data from Gaza's Ministry of Health, whose reporting has consistently been regarded as credible by the UN and humanitarian organizations. The article casts some doubt on the accuracy of reported Gazan casualties and in doing so, contributes to anti-Palestinian racism by dismissing well-established evidence of mass civilian harm as unreliable because the health-ministry was backed terror-group. We feel these points should be clarified in print and would welcome your comments.
Sincerely,
Debbie Hickey
Volunteer with the Media Accountability Project
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East