'There Is a Genocide Happening Before Our Eyes': Shawn Mendes Defies Fear To Speak on Gaza, Urges Artists To Follow

Shawn Mendes has urged fellow artists to speak out about Gaza, admitting he felt scared while writing his own statement. The Canadian singer, 28, posted the statement on Instagram on Thursday, 12 November. It opened with 'FREE PALESTINE' and read, 'There is a genocide happening before our eyes.'

Addressing his friends and fellow artists, he acknowledged the risk of speaking up but said he felt the need to help. The more people use their voice, he argued, the closer change becomes. The post was not his first comment on the war, but its language was much stronger than his remarks in Lisbon.

From Lisbon to 'Free Palestine'

The Lisbon remarks came at his MEO Arena show on 28 August 2025. An Instagram clip shows him telling the crowd, 'Turning pain and suffering into hatred towards Jewish people as a whole is wrong.' He also said he regretted not speaking about Gaza sooner. In January 2026, he performed at an Artists for Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles, which raised money for Palestinian and Sudanese civilians caught up in war.

His November statement goes further. It says the killing in Gaza must stop and that Palestinian children and families have suffered for too long. The statement came on the same day as an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which the Israeli military said targeted a Hamas commander. Britain, Qatar and Jordan also led a coalition of 53 countries and organisations that day in urging Israel to allow more humanitarian supplies into Gaza. The full post is below.

Mendes listed three groups he says he has donated to. They are the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Watermelon Pictures, a film production and distribution company promoting Palestinian cinema, and the Woven Futures Fund, managed by the Women Donors Network. He asked readers to search their hearts and find their courage. Near the end, he listed actions for readers, urging them to donate, educate, challenge and vote.

His post did not name Israel or Hamas directly. Israel has consistently denied committing genocide in Gaza. Its military says it takes extensive steps to avoid harming civilians and accuses Hamas of using them as human shields. Mendes joins a growing list of musicians speaking out. They include Macklemore, whose Free Palestine shows sold out in Dublin, Paris and London. Fellow Canadian bbno$ held a benefit concert for the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.

Criticism and Reaction

Pro-Israel activist Hen Mazzig criticised the post on X, saying Mendes 'fails to mention anything about Hamas' crimes against Jews and Palestinians.' Showbiz411 founder Roger Friedman also faulted the statement for omitting Hamas and the 7 October 2023 attack. Friedman, calling him hitless for years, suggested he sought renewed interest in his career.

Mendes had not responded publicly to the criticism by Friday, a day after posting. His statement ended on a hopeful note of shared belief in change. For a star who once tried to strike a balance, the November post uses stronger language on Gaza than anything he has said publicly before, including in Lisbon.