Canada absent in multi-nation call to protect Gaza journalists, allow foreign media

Palestinians inspect the destroyed tent where journalists, including Al Jazeera correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohamed Qureiqa, were killed by an Israeli airstrike outside the Gaza City's Shifa hospital complex Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

OTTAWA — Canada has taken the rare step of not signing onto a multi-country statement that demands Israel stop banning foreign journalists from entering Gaza and that local journalists be protected in the Palestinian territories.

Canada co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition in 2020 and has signed dozens of statements on issues in Hong Kong, Sudan and previously the West Bank.

But Ottawa is not among the 27 countries singing a call for Israel to allow “independent foreign media access” into Gaza, and for journalists to be protect across Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The only other time Canada did not sign a multi-country statement from the coalition was during the 2021 election campaign, and Global Affairs Canada did not have an immediate response when asked why it’s not part of today’s letter.

The statement comes after Canada and others condemned Israel for deliberately killing Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif, after claiming he had led a cell of Hamas.

Canada is also condemning Israel’s approval of plans to build settlements that would restrict Palestinian access to Jerusalem and separate the city from the West Bank, in a separate joint statement today.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2025.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press