Ofcom sanctions BBC for Gaza documentary narrator's Hamas links

Ofcom has sanctioned the BBC for breaching the broadcasting code after it failed to disclose that the narrator of a Gaza documentary had links to Hamas. 

The watchdog's investigation into Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone concluded that the programme was 'materially misleading'.

The film was removed from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged that Abdullah, the child narrator, was the son of Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture.

His connection to the terrorist organistion was not made clear to viewers when it first aired on BBC2. 

Ofcom said it considered the breach 'to be serious' and as such 'warranted the imposition of a sanction'. 

It has ordered the BBC to broadcast a statement of its findings on BBC2 at 9pm on a date to be decided by the regulator.

A spokesperson for Ofcom said: 'Our investigation found that the programme's failure to disclose that the narrator's father held a position in the Hamas-run administration was materially misleading. 

'It meant that the audience did not have critical information which may have been highly relevant to their assessment of the narrator and the information he provided.

'Trust is at the heart of the relationship between a broadcaster and its audience, particularly for a public service broadcaster such as the BBC.

'This failing had the potential to erode the significantly high levels of trust that audiences would have placed in a BBC factual programme about the Israel-Gaza war. 

'As this represents a serious breach of our rules, we are directing the BBC to broadcast a statement of our findings against it on BBC2 at 9pm, with a date to be confirmed.'

Controversy surrounding the programme began shortly after it aired in February.  

A letter addressed to BBC director-general Tim Davie, sent by public figures including Friday Night Dinner actress Tracy-Ann Oberman, urged the BBC to pull the documentary, expressing concerns about the 'editorial standards of this programme'.

Later that month the BBC announced that an initial review of the programme had identified 'serious flaws' in its making. 

It added that a full fact-finding review was to be conducted by the BBC's director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews, Peter Johnston.

In July, the BBC published the findings of its internal review into the matter. It said it had breached one of the BBC's editorial guidelines on accuracy, by failing to disclose information about the child narrator's father.

A BBC spokesperson said: 'The Ofcom ruling is in line with the findings of Peter Johnston's review that there was a significant failing in the documentary in relation to the BBC's editorial guidelines on accuracy, which reflects rule 2.2 of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code.

'We have apologised for this and we accept Ofcom's decision in full.

'We will comply with the sanction as soon as the date and wording are finalised.'

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: 'This was not a minor oversight — it was a grave lapse in editorial standards from our national broadcaster, just one of repeated antisemitism scandals that have recently engulfed the BBC, from paying licence fee funds to the family of a Hamas official to having to part ways with Gary Lineker after he posted an antisemitic meme and from refusing to call Hamas terrorists to broadcasting incendiary rhetoric about 'Zionists' and calls for death and destruction at Glastonbury.

'We are long past talk of merely restoring trust. The BBC needs fundamental reform.

'That must begin with an independent investigation into its coverage of Israel and matters of Jewish interest, and pending the outcome of that investigation the licence fee must be suspended.'

The BBC previously said that Hoyo Films failed to tell them on multiple occasions about potential connections the narrator and his family might have with Hamas.

They only acknowledged that they knew about the connection after transmission.

Whilst the BBC stressed the production company was independent, they accepted that 'the processes and execution of this programme fell short of our expectations'.

A spokesperson for Hoyo Films added: 'We are cooperating fully with the BBC and Peter Johnston to help understand where mistakes have been made.

'We feel this remains an important story to tell, and that our contributors - who have no say in the war - should have their voices heard.'

The BBC has faced a number of allegations of anti-Israel bias while covering the war in Gaza.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick previously said: 'Ever since the October 7 attack, the BBC has comprehensively failed the licence fee payer.

Despite endless warnings about inaccurate and biased reporting, they have learnt nothing.

'We need a full investigation to get to the bottom of this. Did the producers collude with Hamas officials in Gaza in the making of this documentary? 

'Did the BBC, and therefore the licence fee payer, inadvertently fund a terrorist organisation?'