The BBC has faced several controversies over the decades, and they seem to be in the middle of another. The recent documentary ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’ revealed the reality of life for young people in Gaza, a stance rarely shown in the Western media despite the 11,000 Palestinian children killed by Israel since October 2023 (as of September 2024 according to Oxfam). With this number only increasing – and the West complicit in this genocide – it shocked many when the BBC decided to pull the documentary, when it was revealed that the 13 year old narrator is the son of Hamas’ deputy minister of agriculture. When discovering that the narrator, Abdullah al-Yazouri, was paid for his contribution to the documentary, the BBC has faced even further backlash. We must ask questions: was this a statement against the organisation who have killed 1000 Israelis since October 7th, or the removal of a crucial piece of journalism that shows the lived experiences of children; those who have been murdered and displaced from their homes since Nakba began in 1948?
Although the actions of Hamas should not be celebrated, I can’t help but believe it is the latter. The documentary itself was not related to Hamas but showcased the untold story of the civilians living in Palestine. Due to Britian’s association with Israel, and a severe lack of condemnation for Netanyahu’s government, this reality is rarely shown on our screens, news outlets deciding to disregard this narrative completely. This is why the documentary was so significant: for many, it seemed that the BBC was finally deciding to humanise those trapped in Gaza, those who have become victims of ethnic cleansing and violence at the hand of the IDF. Whilst the BBC cannot be seen to support Hamas in anyway – and would have received even more backlash if they had not pulled the documentary from our screens – I feel incredibly disappointed by their actions.
I am not alone in this belief: a letter signed by over 800 media personalities was sent to the BBC, strongly condemning their decision. Signed notably by former sports commentator Gary Lineker, alongside many others, the letter expressed frustration for the corporation, stating: