Shawn Mendes: Palestinian children have been brave too long; now it's our turn

Canadian singer Shawn Mendes called for an end to the “senseless killing” in Gaza, described what is happening there as genocide and urged artists to break through the wall of fear. His stance came as Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip continued, including one that targeted Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

Canadian singer Shawn Mendes has joined a growing list of global stars expressing solidarity with Palestinians. On Thursday, he posted a statement titled “Freedom for Palestine” on his Instagram account, which has around 68 million followers, writing: “There is a genocide happening before our eyes.”

Mendes devoted most of his message to the children of Gaza, writing: “The children and families in Palestine have been suffering for far too long, and they need our help.” He ended his appeal by saying: “The children of Palestine have had to be brave for far too long. It’s our turn now to do the same.”

Shawn Mendes's “Freedom for Palestine” statement on Instagram

The full text of Mendes’s statement, posted in English on Instagram on November 12.

“I feel scared writing this”

The 28-year-old artist addressed his colleagues directly: “My friends and fellow artists, I know that speaking up can be scary, and I’m feeling that now as I write this... But I also feel the need to do something to help. The more of us who use our voices, the closer we get to change.” He called for “speaking up and standing with those suffering from injustice” to become normal.

Mendes explained that he is educating himself to learn where and how he can make a difference. He urged his followers to donate to organizations he said he had donated to, including the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), the independent Palestinian film distribution company Watermelon Pictures and the Wofnen Futures fund. In January, he took part in the Artists for Relief benefit concert in Los Angeles, whose proceeds went to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and the Association of Sudanese American Physicians.

Gaza between airstrikes and winter

The statement came as Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip continued despite the ceasefire concluded in October 2025. The United Nations expressed “grave concern” over an Israeli airstrike that targeted Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Wednesday night, killing six people, including a child and a doctor, and injuring 27 others, according to Ramiz Alakbarov, the acting United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

Damage inside a department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after an Israeli airstrike

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the death toll has exceeded 74,000 since the war began. With this stance, Mendes joins artists and celebrities including Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon, who have spoken out in support of Gaza.

Photos: Adela Loconte/Variety, Shawn Mendes’s Instagram, Anadolu

Shawn Mendes: Palestinian children have been brave too long; now it's our turn