BBC Faces More Serious Accusations of Bias in Gaza Hostage Release Coverage

[Social Media]

 

Danny Cohen, the former director of BBC Television, has strongly criticized the BBC’s reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, accusing the broadcaster of drawing an "appalling false equivalence" between Israeli hostages released by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel. He warned that the BBC risks becoming a "Hamas propaganda mouthpiece" by failing to adequately highlight the suffering endured by the hostages while giving disproportionate attention to the conditions of Palestinian detainees.  

 

Cohen’s criticism comes amid continued coverage of the conflict following the October 7 Hamas attack, during which hostages were taken. He argued that the BBC has repeatedly glossed over the torture, starvation, and abuse faced by Israeli hostages, instead choosing to emphasize the hardships claimed by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. "In their rush to gloss over the undeniable torture, starvation, and beatings that hostages have endured and their determination to highlight claims of poor conditions in Israel’s jails, the BBC is repeatedly drawing offensive false equivalence between victims of war crimes and hundreds of convicted violent offenders," he said.  

 

According to Cohen, the BBC has failed to properly report that many of the Palestinian prisoners released were convicted of serious terror offenses, including bombings and knife attacks. He pointed to Hamas member Mohammad Abu Warda, who was serving 48 life sentences for organizing a 1996 suicide bus bombing that killed 45 people. Cohen’s report accused the BBC of focusing on those freed from administrative detention without trial while only briefly mentioning the 733 Palestinian prisoners convicted of violent crimes who were also released.  

 

Critics have also taken issue with the BBC’s choice of language when referring to Hamas. During the first two hours of coverage on a recent hostage release, BBC reporters described Hamas personnel as "armed militants," "gunmen," "members," and "local health officials" but did not call them "terrorists" or acknowledge that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organization. The broadcaster has also apologized multiple times for mistakenly referring to Palestinian prisoners as "hostages."  

 

Relatives of Israelis murdered by Palestinian attackers have expressed anger over the BBC’s coverage. Hillel Fuld, whose brother Ari was killed in 2018 by a Palestinian teenager recently freed in the prisoner exchange, criticized the lack of attention given to the victims' families. "There is zero attention being paid to the families whose lives these ‘prisoners’ ruined. Let’s not forget who these people are. They are murderers who destroyed families," Fuld wrote on social media.  

 

Cohen also accused BBC presenters of underreporting the suffering of Israeli hostages, including Naama Levy, whose brutal abduction was captured on video. He noted that BBC correspondents failed to mention the well-documented footage of Levy being dragged into a Hamas truck, covered in blood with her hands tied. He expressed concern that BBC journalists, including Laura Kuenssberg and Middle East regional editor Sebastian Usher, had equated the ordeal of Hamas’s hostages with what they described as "appalling" and "particularly hard" conditions in Israeli jails.  

 

BBC correspondent Mark Lowen came under particular scrutiny for stating: "They are then reunited with their families, it’s all very emotional of course, and then also later on that day you have similarly emotional scenes in Gaza where Palestinians who have been held in Israeli jails are released… The most serious offenders will be deported away from Gaza but there will be joy and heartbreak there as well from the families as they see their loved ones and for those still waiting for others to be released in the coming weeks of the ceasefire deal."  

 

Cohen condemned this framing, asserting that there is no legitimate comparison between the suffering of Israeli hostages and the imprisonment of Palestinian terrorists. "Taking hostages is a war crime. Torture, sexual abuse, and starvation of those hostages is a war crime. There is no equivalence between the horrors hostages have endured and the administrative detention of Palestinians or the decades-long imprisonment of murderous and violent terrorists," he stated.  

 

He called on the BBC to reconsider its approach, urging the broadcaster to "radically rethink its coverage, stop drawing these offensive comparisons, and remind its audience that Hamas is not providing ‘well-ordered’ hostage releases but once again showing the world what a barbarous and brutal terror group looks like."

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph  2025-02-18

 

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[koolkarl]

I would bet if  you checked who is responsible for the news coverage on this topic would likely find a muslim or 2 in charge.

[hotsun]

The BBC is not just anti israel. They are also anti american, anti west. Euros still cite articles here from BBC as if theyre credible

[JonnyF]

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

He warned that the BBC risks becoming a "Hamas propaganda mouthpiece" by failing to adequately highlight the suffering endured by the hostages while giving disproportionate attention to the conditions of Palestinian detainees.  

 

"Risks becoming"?

 

It's been that way for years, hence their refusal for a long term to call Hamas terrorists, instead referring to them as "freedom fighters".

 

It's impossible to take them seriously. I used to use them for sport only, until the "Cole Palmer - Made in the Carribean" piece that was simply one step too far. Now I just avoid them altogether, especially since they started clickbaiting articles that turn out to be about women's football or "feel good" pieces about the rise of one legged Lesbian rugby players in outer Mongolia.

 

They need to get back to reporting the news, rather than trying to influence how we should interpret world events from their Woke, Leftist perspective. Thank goodness I no longer have to pay for that gravy train. 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

 

The BBC have been institutionally antisemitic for many years, and as @hotsun has said, they are anti-American, and also anti-British, having never gotten over the Brexit referendum result.

 

Jeremy Bowen, and Lyse (look at my anti-blast vest) Doucet, cannot conceal their hatred of Jews any more than the malodours Jon Donnison can; he stood in Gaza and reported that the blast at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital was caused by an Israeli airstrike, and not, as it actually was, by a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) from within Gaza.

 

And Jon Donnison also posted a photo of a young girl lying on a hospital bed with bloodied clothes, with the caption “Heartbreaking, Pain in #Gaza” …. when it transpired that the photo of the young girl was actually taken in Syria.

 

As for Verify; Hamas propaganda for the gullible and incurious.

 

 

 

 

[WDSmart]

I'm happy to hear that the BBC, which I don't listen to much, is reporting more fairly on the Israel/Palestinian crisis. I encourage them to continue.

[portisaacozzy]

4 hours ago, koolkarl said:

I would bet if  you checked who is responsible for the news coverage on this topic would likely find a muslim or 2 in charge.

Nar! if if you checked who is responsible for the news coverage on this topic would likely find a couple of level headed people who can see and show two sides in charge .

[Nick Carter icp]

13 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

I'm happy to hear that the BBC, which I don't listen to much, is reporting more fairly on the Israel/Palestinian crisis. I encourage them to continue.

 

   This a news report about biasedness from the BBC .

Biased , favour one side . 

Did you understand that as being "fair" ?

Did you not understand what was written ?

Or is it that you don't favour fair reports and you favour reports which are biased to your side ?

[brewsterbudgen]

So should the BBC be biased towards Israel?  Being neutral and objective pleases neither side.  Although by no means perfect, thank God for the BBC.

[Nick Carter icp]

39 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

So should the BBC be biased towards Israel?  Being neutral and objective pleases neither side.  Although by no means perfect, thank God for the BBC.

 

   The BBC shouldn't be there to please anyone .

They should be there to report the news fairly without any biasedness' at all 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

42 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

So should the BBC be biased towards Israel?  Being neutral and objective pleases neither side.  Although by no means perfect, thank God for the BBC.

 

 

I haven’t seen anyone suggesting they should be biased towards Israel, I think people just expect them to report facts in an impartial and unbiased way, which they have failed to do with reporting from Gaza.

 

You seem to be quite happy with their obvious bias towards a proscribed terrorist organisation, which they even refuse to call a terrorist organisation; but I have seen some of your previous comments on the issue, so no surprise.

 

 

 

 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

50 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Although by no means perfect, thank God for the BBC.

 

Did you mean thank Allah for the BBC ?

[Purdey]

Every news agency is hated by one side or another. Which one is considered acceptable to all? 

[Nick Carter icp]

51 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

So should the BBC be biased towards Israel?  Being neutral and objective pleases neither side.  Although by no means perfect, thank God for the BBC.

 

   That is the problem with many media outlets these days .

The publish articles and report the news to please their audience .

They tell their readership what they want to hear , rather than reporting fairly 

[Bkk Brian]

3 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Every news agency is hated by one side or another. Which one is considered acceptable to all? 

Its not about sides, the BBC is supposed give due impartiality in all its news. The British people pay for this in the BBC licence fee.

 

I

[scottiejohn]

2 hours ago, WDSmart said:

I'm happy to hear that the BBC, which I don't listen to much, is reporting more fairly on the Israel/Palestinian crisis. I encourage them to continue.

I hope you are trying to be sarcastic!

If not where did you hear this scurrilous rumour?

[brewsterbudgen]

36 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

Did you mean thank Allah for the BBC ?

No, I'm not Muslim or Christian.  Isn't Allah just God anyway?  Muslims and Christians seem to thank him a lot! 

[koolkarl]

3 hours ago, portisaacozzy said:

Nar! if if you checked who is responsible for the news coverage on this topic would likely find a couple of level headed people who can see and show two sides in charge .

Then check.

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

 

I haven’t seen anyone suggesting they should be biased towards Israel, I think people just expect them to report facts in an impartial and unbiased way, which they have failed to do with reporting from Gaza.

 

You seem to be quite happy with their obvious bias towards a proscribed terrorist organisation, which they even refuse to call a terrorist organisation; but I have seen some of your previous comments on the issue, so no surprise.

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, no.  I tend to agree with the government that the BBC are wrong on this one, even if it is mostly semantics.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67076341

[Nick Carter icp]

6 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

 

Actually, no.  I tend to agree with the government that the BBC are wrong on this one, even if it is mostly semantics.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67076341

 

   There's no need for Anti Semantic comments 🙂

[coolcarer]

Hostage release coverage and commentary has been the usual Hamas apologist reporting that the BBC has been doing from the outset. No change.   Outrageous reporting. As for their Arabic reporters. They are clear Hamas supporters. 

[beautifulthailand99]

Former 'director' at the BBC that's all you need to know.

[Sir Dude]

I'm surprised anyone bothers to watch the BBC's left-wing propaganda nonsense anymore... shocking brainwashing BS.

[Hanaguma]

7 hours ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

The BBC have been institutionally antisemitic for many years, and as @hotsun has said, they are anti-American, and also anti-British, having never gotten over the Brexit referendum result.

 

Jeremy Bowen, and Lyse (look at my anti-blast vest) Doucet, cannot conceal their hatred of Jews any more than the malodours Jon Donnison can; he stood in Gaza and reported that the blast at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital was caused by an Israeli airstrike, and not, as it actually was, by a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) from within Gaza.

 

And Jon Donnison also posted a photo of a young girl lying on a hospital bed with bloodied clothes, with the caption “Heartbreaking, Pain in #Gaza” …. when it transpired that the photo of the young girl was actually taken in Syria.

 

As for Verify; Hamas propaganda for the gullible and incurious.

 

 

 

 

On behalf of the nation of Canada, I apologize for foisting Lyse Doucet on the British public. 

[coolcarer]

13 minutes ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

Former 'director' at the BBC that's all you need to know.

Speak for yourself. All you need to know….lol

[beautifulthailand99]

5 minutes ago, coolcarer said:

Speak for yourself. All you need to know….lol

"Whistleblowers" who discover malfeasance after they have safely retired on huge pensions are hardly whistleblowers—just shills looking for a new income stream. Why didn't he squel when he was in post ?

[coolcarer]

12 minutes ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

"Whistleblowers" who discover malfeasance after they have safely retired on huge pensions are hardly whistleblowers—just shills looking for a new income stream. Why didn't he squel when he was in post ?

I would check some of the related topic links in the OP if I was you. He is certainly not a whistleblower and it is not only him. Like I said, all you need to know maybe. You know nothing.

 

BBC Chair denies plea from 200 Jewish staffers calling for formal probe into antisemitism at the newsroom

https://www.foxnews.com/media/bbc-chair-denies-plea-from-200-jewish-staffers-calling-formal-probe-antisemitism-newsroom

 

 

From OP

"Relatives of Israelis murdered by Palestinian attackers have expressed anger over the BBC’s coverage. Hillel Fuld, whose brother Ari was killed in 2018 by a Palestinian teenager recently freed in the prisoner exchange, criticized the lack of attention given to the victims' families. "There is zero attention being paid to the families whose lives these ‘prisoners’ ruined. Let’s not forget who these people are. They are murderers who destroyed families," Fuld wrote on social media. "

 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

46 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

On behalf of the nation of Canada, I apologize for foisting Lyse Doucet on the British public. 

 

 

Many thanks; don't suppose you want her back do you ?

 

 

[WDSmart]

6 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

6 hours ago, WDSmart said:

I'm happy to hear that the BBC, which I don't listen to much, is reporting more fairly on the Israel/Palestinian crisis. I encourage them to continue.

 

   This a news report about biasedness from the BBC .

Biased , favour one side . 

Did you understand that as being "fair" ?

Did you not understand what was written ?

Or is it that you don't favour fair reports and you favour reports which are biased to your side ?

I think they are "fair" because they report on both sides of the story, not just one (Israeli). Most reports are based on and only favor Israel. An easy way to tell that is to look at what terms they use to describe each side, such as terrorists vs. soldiers and hostages vs. prisoners. 

[WDSmart]

4 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

6 hours ago, WDSmart said:

I'm happy to hear that the BBC, which I don't listen to much, is reporting more fairly on the Israel/Palestinian crisis. I encourage them to continue.

I hope you are trying to be sarcastic!

If not where did you hear this scurrilous rumour

I just read about it here, and I do see some criticism of the BBC on Facebook. I support their efforts to tell both sides of the story.