Mansour Shouman, the Palestinian-Canadian reported missing in Gaza, appears to have posted to social media for the first time in weeks on Tuesday.
The post says Shouman spent days evading gunfire in Khan Younis without access to his phone, and that was the cause of his sudden disappearance.
Shouman was in the region to help document ongoing humanitarian efforts amid the raging Israel-Hamas war. His disappearance drew widespread-attention, including that of the prime minister, after loved ones reported losing contact in January.
He said in the video posted to Instagram that “over two weeks ago,” he departed with a group of volunteers to check progress on a “tent project” in western Khan Younis. He said the group left their phones behind, citing safety concerns.
“Once we reached the facility of the tents, we were surprised to see several drones, at low altitudes, right above us,” he said, adding he saw other military personnel, tanks and “firefighters” move into the area. He also accused them of attacking civilians.
“We had to run for cover, and for the last two weeks, we have been going from house to house throughout the west of Khan Younis” to evade bombing and gunfire, he said. Previous, unverified reports claimed he was taken in by Israeli forces, which Shouman did not mention in the video.
“We never left Khan Younis. We never thought of leaving Khan Younis,” he said.
Shouman’s video is ‘good news’: Joly
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly spoke to reporters later Tuesday morning in Ottawa. She called the development “good news.”
“I hope to speak with Mansour Shouman’s mother later today,” she said.
His mother, who lives in Abu Dhabi, said she was one of the last people outside Gaza to speak with him on Jan. 21. That night, she said, he sent her a message to wish her goodnight.
“I love you, talk to you tomorrow. I know you are asleep,” read the message.
“In the morning, I sent him a message,” his mother, Mai Hussein, told CTV News Channel in January. “He didn’t receive it.”Hussein had since been an outspoken advocate for her son, urging swift action from Ottawa to find him.
Palestinian-Canadian citizen journalist Mansour Shouman, left, and his mother, Mai Hussein. (CTV News)
Shouman is a former Calgarian, who used to work as an oil and gas consultant. In 2022, he moved to Gaza with his wife and five children.
Following the Oct. 7 attack in Israel by Hamas militants, which killed 1,200 people and saw roughly 250 hostages taken, Israel responded with an aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip, forcing citizens such as Shouman and his family to flee their homes.
He appeared on a list of foreigners approved to leave Gaza on Nov. 7, but he opted to stay behind when his family left, citing a duty to document the war and its ramifications.
His wife and five children left that day for Abu Dhabi, where his mother resides.
“The humanitarian work needs to continue to help the civilian population here in Gaza,” said Shouman. “This is a struggle to the end.”
