BBC Journos Accuse Corporation of Pro-Israel Bias in Coverage of Gaza Conflict

Since the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, the BBC has failed to provide accurate coverage of events in Gaza, lacking a critical approach to Tel Aviv's claims and portraying Hamas as the sole perpetrator of the conflict, a group of eight journalists working for the British broadcaster said in a letter to Al Jazeera.

"The BBC has failed to accurately tell this story – through omission and lack of critical engagement with Israel’s claims – and it has therefore failed to help the public engage with and understand the human rights abuses unfolding in Gaza," the letter reads, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

The journalists referred to the use of language, noting that on BBC platforms, terms such as "massacre" and "atrocity" are reserved for reporting only for the actions of Hamas, which is thus presented as "the sole instigator and perpetrator of violence in the region."

"This is inaccurate but aligns with the BBC’s overall coverage," the corporation's staff insisted.

The corporation has also been accused of double standards in its coverage of civilian suffering in Gaza. While the BBC thoroughly portrays the suffering of Israelis, for example by interviewing affected families, coverage of Palestinians hardship is lacking, even though the broadcaster could make use of the wealth of contents available on social media and from journalists in Gaza, the journalists added.

"Humanising coverage of Palestinian civilians has been lacking. It is a poor excuse to say that the BBC could not better cover stories in Gaza because of difficulties gaining access to the [Gaza] Strip," they noted.

They noted that only in recent weeks has the BBC made a greater effort to humanize Palestinian civilians, after civilian casualties increased exponentially and "Western countries' appetite for Israel's attacks has waned."

"For many, this feels too little too late, and shows that the positions taken by governments in the UK and US have undue influence on coverage," the letter reads.

One of the letter's co-authors told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity that some BBC staff and senior reporters "don't empathize as much with [Palestinians] as they do, for example, with Ukrainian civilians."

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Another complaint by BBC journalists is that the broadcaster is "failing to provide audiences with important background about Israel's occupation and the history of Palestinian suffering." They cited the failure of news reports and BBC articles to mention even a few lines of vital historical context in their coverage, such as the asymmetrical death toll over the decades and the Nakba, the exodus of more than 700,000 Palestinians in 1948 following Israel's declaration of statehood.

"The BBC has often called the ongoing conflict ‘complex’. It is no more complex than any other conflict," the letter reads. "It is our job to cut through rhetoric and misinformation; to explain what is happening and what has led to this."

The authors of the 2,300-word letter asked for anonymity for fear of reprisals, according to the Qatari outlet.

On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing around 1,200 people and abducted over 200 others in neighboring Israeli communities. Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off supplies of water, food, and fuel.

On October 27, Israel launched a large-scale ground incursion inside the Gaza Strip with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. The escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine since early October has resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 people in Israel and over 14,800 in the Gaza Strip.