Times of Israel, on Gaza, 12 November 2026

6.0out of 10Serious

Canadian singer Shawn Mendes , calls for donations

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.1 findingSee them marked on timesofisrael.com

Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza in a statement posted to his 68 million Instagram followers on Thursday. “Free Palestine. There is a genocide happening before our eyes,” the 28-year-old singer wrote. “The senseless killing in Gaza must stop. The children and families in Palestine have suffered for far too long, and they need our help.” Mendes said he had been “educating” himself about the situation in Gaza and looking for ways to make a difference, encouraging his followers to do the same.

“My friends and fellow artists, I know it can feel scary to speak up; I feel it now as I type this… I also feel the need to do something to help,” he wrote. Mendes tagged the organizations to which he said he had donated. They included the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Watermelon Pictures — a film production and distribution company promoting Palestinian cinema, and the Woven Futures Fund, which is managed by the Women Donors Network.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms He also called for “speaking up and standing up for those suffering from oppression.” The Israel Defense Forces has said that it takes extensive measures not to harm civilians in Gaza, and accused the Palestinian terror group Hamas of using Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools and mosques.

The singer also performed at an Artists for Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles in January 2026, which raised funds for humanitarian assistance to Palestinians and Sudanese civilians. Advertisement Pro-Israel activist Hen Mazzig criticized Mendes in a post on X for failing to mention Hamas in his statement. Shawn Mendes, known for a hit song from over half a decade ago and Lyle Lyle Crocodile, is now singing to the tune of "Free Palestine" to his 68M followers.

He claims he is being educated, yet fails to mention anything about Hamas' crimes against Jews and Palestinians. My… pic.twitter.com/SSaHHiblML — Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) November 12, 2026 “He claims he is being educated, yet fails to mention anything about Hamas’ crimes against Jews and Palestinians,” Mazzig wrote. Advertisement During a concert in Lisbon in August 2025, Mendes tried to strike a balance, saying he felt heartbreak over the suffering of Palestinians while also condemning antisemitism.

“Turning pain and suffering into hatred towards Jewish people as a whole is wrong,” he told the audience. “Turning pain and suffering into hatred, period, is wrong, and it’s not the way,” he added. Your next read: ToI Editors' Picks LIMITED TIME OFFER: Join The Times of Israel Community today and you'll receive a physical book of your choice, carefully curated by our editors. Choose between two must-reads: When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin, a searing portrait of a mother’s grief and strength following unthinkable tragedy; Or Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe by Matti Friedman, the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment during World War II.

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What we found (1)

The Times of Israel reports Shawn Mendes's Instagram statement that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and its headline puts genocide in quotation marks as his accusation. In its own voice the outlet sets his statement only against Israel's denial. It never tells readers that the UN Commission of Inquiry found in September 2025 that Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip.

  1. Hedges the documented record

    Serious

    “accuses Israel of ‘genocide’ in Gaza”

    Why this matters
    The headline puts genocide in quotation marks and makes it something a pop singer 'accuses' Israel of.
    The impression it gives
    That genocide in Gaza is one celebrity's charge, an opinion rather than a documented finding.
    The context
    The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry found on 16 September 2025 that Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip. The article never mentions this finding anywhere.

    How we know

    • On the recordThe UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry found, on 16 September 2025, that Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip.ohchr.org (opens in a new tab)
    • Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “Commission” and “inquiry”.

    Show it in the article

    “Israel has consistently and vehemently denied that it is committing genocide in Gaza.”

    Why this matters
    In its own voice, the outlet's only statement about the genocide is Israel's denial of it.
    The impression it gives
    That the question stands as an accusation against a firm denial, with no independent finding on either side.
    The context
    A UN Commission of Inquiry has found that Israel has committed genocide, and the ICJ has issued provisional measures in the genocide case. The outlet gives the reader the denial and leaves out the documented record the denial is set against.

    How we know

    • On the recordThe UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry found, on 16 September 2025, that Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip.ohchr.org (opens in a new tab)
    • On the recordThe International Court of Justice has issued provisional measures in the genocide case against Israel; those orders do not determine the merits of the genocide case.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)

    Show it in the article

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