UK government calls urgent meeting with BBC over Gaza documentary narrated by son of Hamas minister

Illustrative: Protesters holding placards and Israeli flags join a gathering outside the headquarters of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) in London on October 16, 2023, to appeal to the corporation to call Hamas 'terrorists.' (Daniel Leal/AFP)
Illustrative: Protesters holding placards and Israeli flags join a gathering outside the headquarters of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) in London on October 16, 2023, to appeal to the corporation to call Hamas 'terrorists.' (Daniel Leal/AFP)

The British government calls an urgent meeting with the BBC over the making of a documentary about children’s lives in Gaza that was narrated by the 13-year-old son of a deputy minister in the Palestinian enclave’s Hamas government.

Announcing the meeting with BBC Chair Samir Shah, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says: “I want assurances that no stone will be left unturned.”

The BBC said yesterday that there had been “serious flaws” in “Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone,” made by an independent production company, and removed it from its online platform, five days after it was first broadcast on television.

The broadcaster said that it shared the blame for the “unacceptable” flaws with production company Hoyo Films.

The production company revealed that they paid the boy’s mother “a limited sum of money” for the narration. The BBC is seeking additional assurance that no money was paid directly or indirectly to the Hamas terror group.

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