OP-ED: Why Canadians should question the Gaza ‘genocide’ narrative

Dr. Dotan Rousso writes, "It is time to pause and ask: What are we actually saying when we accuse Israel of genocide?"

Source: Wikimedia Commons

By Dr. Dotan Rousso

The accusation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza has been echoed widely across Canadian media, protests, and political discourse. But this grave charge relies almost entirely on figures and assumptions that, upon examination, reveal a narrative built on unverified and politically driven data.

The most widely cited source for Gaza casualty figures is the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is operated by Hamas—the same terror organization that launched the October 7 massacre and continues to govern the Gaza Strip. As of July 2025, Hamas claims that around 57,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war. These numbers are regularly repeated by global news outlets and humanitarian groups. Yet few seem willing to ask a basic question: Should a terror group’s casualty figures be accepted without independent verification?

There is no transparency regarding how these numbers are compiled. Hamas does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. It includes all fatalities, regardless of whether the individual was killed in an Israeli airstrike, died from secondary causes, or was a combatant actively engaged in battle. The result is a single, dramatic number stripped of any meaningful context.

Now contrast this with data released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and reported in major U.S. outlets, including The Wall Street Journal (July 2025). According to the IDF, over 21,000 Hamas and other militant operatives have been killed during the conflict. These figures are based on intelligence, drone footage, intercepted communications, and confirmed identifications on the battlefield. While no military estimate is perfect, this number is grounded in methodical tracking—not propaganda.

This distinction matters. If 21,000 of the reported 57,000 deaths were militants, then a significant portion of those killed—over one-third—were actively fighting against Israel. That single fact alone undercuts the narrative of indiscriminate killing or genocidal intent. Civilians have tragically died—but in a war against an enemy embedded within homes, hospitals, and schools, the presence of high militant casualties is an essential—and revealing—detail.

Even more important than the numbers is the question of intent. Genocide is not defined by death tolls alone; it requires a demonstrated intent to eliminate a population. If Israel had such intent, its military—one of the most powerful and technologically advanced in the world—could have obliterated Gaza in a matter of days. Instead, it has taken 20 months so far, with repeated warnings to civilians, evacuation orders, humanitarian corridors, and targeted strikes. None of this is consistent with a plan of extermination.

Yet in Canada, the genocide claim has taken hold with shocking ease. It appears in protests, classrooms, and even political rhetoric, often without a shred of critical examination. Canadians pride themselves on being informed, thoughtful, and just. But on this issue, too many are repeating slogans rooted in Hamas talking points while ignoring data verified and published by serious, independent sources.

It is time to pause and ask: What are we actually saying when we accuse Israel of genocide? And are we basing that claim on verifiable evidence—or on numbers handed to us by a terror group?

The answer matters. Because truth matters. And Canadians, of all people, should know better than to accept propaganda as fact.