BBC apologises, admits ‘serious flaws’, Hamas connection in Gaza documentary

The BBC has apologised and acknowledged “serious flaws” in the making of a documentary about children’s lives in Gaza.

The apology comes after the broadcaster removed the documentary, ‘Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone’, from its iPlayer streaming service last week following the revelation that the teenage narrator of the film is the son of Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.

In a statement, the BBC said it has been assured by the independent production company behind the documentary that no payments were made to Hamas or its affiliates, but it is seeking additional assurance and will undertake a “full audit” of expenditure.

The BBC said it does not plan to broadcast the programme again in its current form or return it to iPlayer.

“During the production process, the independent production company was asked in writing a number of times by the BBC about any potential connections he and his family might have with Hamas,” a spokesperson said.

“Since transmission, they have acknowledged that they knew that the boy’s father was a deputy agriculture minister in the Hamas government; they have also acknowledged that they never told the BBC this fact. It was then the BBC’s own failing that we did not uncover that fact and the documentary was aired.”