BBC Pulls ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’ Doc From iPlayer After Backlash Over Narrator’s Hamas Connection

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The BBC removed its contentious Gaza documentary from its online platform, iPlayer, following disclosures that the young narrator was connected to a Hamas leader.

The documentary titled “Gaza: Living Through a Warzone,” originally broadcast on BBC Two, showcases young Abdullah Al-Yazouri describing his day-to-day existence in the conflict area. However, controversy erupted when it was revealed that Abdullah’s father, Ayman Alyazouri, is Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.

Representatives from various sectors of the industry, such as Tracy-Ann Oberman, known for her role in “Friday Night Dinner,” Neil Blair from The Blair Partnership (who represents J.K. Rowling), former BBC One executive Danny Cohen, and producer Leo Pearlman, have called for the cancellation of a program and have urged the broadcaster to disclose their screening procedures.

On Thursday, the BBC admitted that they had not made public the narrator’s familial connections to Hamas. Despite emphasizing the significance of the documentary in shedding light on the lives of children in Gaza, the media outlet stated that they are now performing additional background checks with Hoyo Films, a London-based production company.

On Friday, the BBC shared an update stating that the documentary titled “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone” highlights crucial stories, particularly those of children in Gaza. However, due to some concerns and questions about the program, they are carrying out additional investigation with the production company. Consequently, the program will not be accessible on iPlayer during this process.

U.K. Secretary for Culture Lisa Nandy has entered the debate, announcing her intention to talk with the BBC about the documentary, focusing on where the information was obtained from.

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2025-02-21 15:16