On August 10th 2024 an article was published by the Toronto Sun titled “Ottawa Turns a Blind Eye to Questionable Pro-Palestinian Charities,” written by Warren Kinsella. The article makes serious allegations against IDRF, implying connections to designated entities, which are entirely unfounded, drawing on speculative and inaccurate information from biased sources. These allegations are categorically false.
For over 40 years, IDRF has been committed to alleviating poverty, providing humanitarian aid and sustainable development programs, without discrimination, based on the principles of human dignity, self-reliance, and social justice in vulnerable communities across the globe, including Palestine.
“Our work in Gaza is about saving lives—providing food, healthcare, education, and shelter to families devastated by conflict. We operate with absolute compliance to Canadian and international laws. To link IDRF to illegal activities is not just false, it’s reckless and harms the very people who rely on our help,” says Mahmood Qasim, CEO of IDRF.
This article intentionally misrepresents IDRF’s partnerships with legitimate registered local organizations working tirelessly to get aid to those who need it most, especially women and children. The Toronto Sun’s use of clearly biased anti-Palestinian views to mischaracterize the beneficiaries of humanitarian aid, many of whom are innocent children, is not appropriate journalism expected by a Canadian newspaper.
We are exploring all legal avenues to address the defamatory content of this article. IDRF is committed to protecting its reputation and will not tolerate unfounded accusations that jeopardize our work or the people we serve.
We reaffirm our commitment to transparency, accountability, and the principles of humanitarian aid, and we will continue to uphold these values.