Important context is missing. The handover of the abductees occurred as Israel continued to abduct more people in southern Lebanon, including three farmers from Halta on September 3, the same day Israel announced the release of the Lebanese-Syrian abductees. We therefore ask that this important context be added.
To the Associated Press and Toronto Star,
I am writing to you on behalf of Candians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to raise concern regarding key inaccuracies regarding AP’s reporting of the release of 5 abductees into Lebanese custody in the article titled: “Israeli airstrikes on a village in southern Lebanon kill 12 people, including 2 children.”
The article mentions that “the strikes came days after Israel released five Lebanese prisoners as part of a deal between the two countries.”
First, there is a factual inaccuracy. The four released on Friday are two Lebanese nationals, Ali Shour and Hussein Ayash, and two Syrians, Asaad al-Hseika and Wissam Ibrahim al-Samawi. The last abductee, Malek Ghazi, who was abducted by Israel in October 2025 in the Rashaya region, was actually released the day before (Thursday morning).
We therefore ask AP, and by extension Toronto Star, to specify that the 5 individuals released between Thursday and Friday were Lebanese and Syrian nationals.
Second, the Lebanese-Syrians released were not prisoners under the conventional sense; they were illegally abducted. As L’Orient Today reports, they were captured and taken hostage by the Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
The taking of hostages is illegal under international law and constitutes a war crime. We therefore ask that the article explicitly refer to the Lebanese and Syrians taken by Israel as hostages, so that readers clearly understand that the illegality of Israel’s hostage-taking.
Third, important context is missing. The handover of the abductees occurred as Israel continued to abduct more people in southern Lebanon, including three farmers from Halta on September 3, the same day Israel announced the release of the Lebanese-Syrian abductees. We therefore ask that this important context be added.
Thank you for taking the time to read our concerns. We look forward to seeing these changes made promptly in the interest of accurate and responsible reporting.
Regards,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East