WINNIPEG — Calls to center Gaza as the sole moral lens for International Human Rights Day risk reducing a universal principle to a political slogan. A recent CPAM statement argued that human rights are “meaningless” unless the world embraces a Free Palestine and that the suffering in Gaza represents the “active dismantling of humanity.” This narrative overlooks core facts established by governments, security agencies, and independent investigators. It also removes Hamas, a listed terrorist organization in Canada, the United States, and the European Union, from any accountability for the conflict it initiated.
The events of October 7, documented by the Israel Defense Forces and verified by numerous international journalists who reviewed raw footage, marked the deadliest single day for Jews since the Holocaust. More than 1200 people were murdered, including infants, senior citizens, and entire families. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that over 250 individuals were taken hostage, among them children, foreign workers, and elderly civilians. Hamas publicly celebrated these attacks, calling them a “victory.”
Any discussion of human rights must begin with the indiscriminate targeting of civilians. International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on noncombatants, and experts at the International Committee of the Red Cross describe this prohibition as fundamental. Israel faced the largest mass casualty terror attack in its history. The government’s response reflects its legal duty under Article 51 of the UN Charter to defend its population from ongoing assault.
Assertions that Palestinians in Gaza are being denied the “right to exist” omit Hamas’s responsibility for using civilian areas as military strongholds. The IDF has repeatedly presented evidence, corroborated by independent analysts such as the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, showing that Hamas embeds command centers, weapons, and tunnel shafts inside or under schools, hospitals, and residential buildings. UN Secretary General statements have acknowledged these reports. These tactics violate international law, which requires combatants to distinguish themselves from civilians.
Humanitarian concerns in Gaza are serious and should not be minimized. However, framing the situation as a unilateral “dismantling of humanity” ignores how Hamas diverts resources, seizes humanitarian supplies, and uses its own people as shields. The United States Department of State noted in November that Hamas has stolen fuel and aid shipments intended for civilians. Israeli officials report that the group has repeatedly refused to release hostages unless political concessions are granted.
CPAM’s call for “disruption” rather than reflection risks replacing evidence-based human rights work with activism that obscures essential facts. A credible human rights framework must be grounded in verified information. It must recognize that Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, removing every settlement and soldier. Since the Hamas takeover in 2007, Gaza has been governed not by Israel but by an armed faction openly committed to Israel’s destruction. This ideological commitment is written into the Hamas Charter, which calls for the elimination of the Jewish state.
The statement that “there is no human rights movement without a Free Palestine” disregards ongoing threats faced by Israeli civilians who continue to experience rocket fire from Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and Lebanon. According to the Israel Security Agency, more than 2500 attempted terror attacks originated from Judea and Samaria in 2023 alone, including shootings, stabbings, and attempted bombings. Recognizing these threats is essential to understanding Israel’s security posture.
Moreover, the claim that “until everyone is free, none of us are free” should also apply to the last remaining Israeli hostage still held in underground tunnels. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have called for his immediate release. Like the rest of the hostages, he faced the most basic denial of liberty and dignity. His captivity remains one of the gravest ongoing violations in the conflict.
A balanced examination of human rights must address all civilians, Israeli and Palestinian. It must recognize Hamas’s responsibility for triggering the war and for placing Gazan civilians in harm’s way. It must acknowledge Israel’s obligations under international law to protect its population from terror. And it must avoid rhetoric that erases victims or reframes terrorism as resistance.
International Human Rights Day should not be a platform for selective indignation. It should reinforce universal standards that apply to all parties. Upholding those standards is the only path to justice, accountability, and eventual peace.
