The Canadian pop star Shawn Mendes addressed the murders of Palestinians in an emotional Instagram post on Thursday. He urged fans and other artists to support Palestinian families and children and admitted it was scary to speak out about it.
The 28-year-old singer started his message with strong emphasis.
“FREE PALESTINE,” he wrote. “There is a genocide happening before our eyes.”
“The senseless killing in Gaza must stop,” he wrote. “The children and families in Palestine have suffered for far too long, and they need our help.”
Mendes said he spent time educating himself about the situation and asked his followers to do the same.
“I’ve been working on educating myself and learning as much as I can to understand where and how I can make a difference, and I am asking you to do the same,” he wrote. “I’ve shared a few of the organizations that I’ve made donations to below.”
These organizations included Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Watermelon Pictures, and Woven Futures Fund, according to Billboard.
Then, the singer addressed other performers, admitting he understood how scary it could be to speak out.
“My friends and fellow artists, I know it can feel scary to speak up; I feel it now as I type this … I also feel the need to do something to help,” he wrote. “The more of us that use our voice, the closer we are to change. If you agree, please search your heart, find your courage, and do what you can to help.”
“These children in Palestine have had to be brave for too long,” he continued. “It’s our turn to do the same now. Let’s normalize speaking up and standing up for those suffering from oppression.”
He ended his message with the list of actions for his followers: “Donate,” “Educate,” “Encourage,” “Challenge,” “Hold those in power accountable,” and “Vote.”
“With so much love, I believe in us,” Mendes wrote.
Fans quickly posted messages on social media expressing their pride in the “Stitches” and “Treat You Better” singer for his courage and his previous help to Palestinian children.
On Jan. 10, Mendes performed at the Artists for Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles, which was hosted by Bella Hadid and Pedro Pascal. According to organizers, the show helped raise $5.5 million for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Sudanese American Physicians Association. Mendes led a prayer for children in Sudan and Palestine before performing “Youth” with Maggie Rogers and “Stitches.”
On Aug. 24, 2025, at a concert in MEO Arena in Lisbon, Mendes said he regretted not addressing the situation in Gaza before and that the suffering there broke his heart. He also said that the pain in Gaza should never become hatred towards Jews.
Not everyone supported his message. Roger Friedman, the founder of the entertainment site Showbiz411, criticized the post for not mentioning Hamas and the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The war started when militants led by Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s offensive in Gaza killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants but notes that women and children make up half of the victims. The ministry is a part of Gaza’s Hamas government, and U.N. agencies usually consider its data reliable.
A truce brokered by the U.S. started on Oct. 10, 2025, reducing the heaviest fighting, but Israeli strikes continue. The ministry says more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began. Israel’s military says its strikes are aimed at threats or attacks, and Israel denies charges of committing genocide in Gaza.
