Gizem Nisa Cebi
21 February 2025•Update: 21 February 2025
ISTANBUL
The BBC has removed its documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone from iPlayer after it was revealed that its teenage narrator is the son of a Hamas official.
The broadcaster stated that it is conducting "further due diligence" following mounting scrutiny.
The film, which aired on BBC Two on Monday, follows 13-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri as he describes life in Gaza. However, it later emerged that his father, Ayman Alyazouri, serves as Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.
In a statement on Friday, the BBC defended the documentary’s value but acknowledged concerns. "There have been continuing questions raised about the programme, and in light of these, we are conducting further due diligence with the production company."
The revelation sparked backlash from figures including Friday Night Dinner actress Tracy-Ann Oberman, literary agent Neil Blair, and former BBC One boss Danny Cohen, who called it "a shocking failure by the BBC and a major crisis for its reputation."
On Thursday, the BBC admitted that it had not disclosed the family connection but insisted it followed compliance procedures. It has since added a disclaimer acknowledging Abdullah’s ties to Hamas.
UK's Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told LBC that she would discuss the issue with the BBC, particularly regarding its vetting process.
Meanwhile, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians urged the broadcaster to "stand firm against attempts to prevent firsthand accounts of life in Gaza from reaching audiences."
‘This documentary humanised Palestinian children'
While some demanded the film’s removal, others defended its importance. Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), criticized the BBC’s decision.
"It’s very regrettable that this documentary has been pulled following pressure from anti-Palestinian activists who have largely shown no sympathy for persons in Gaza suffering from massive bombardment, starvation, and disease," Middle East Eye quoted him as saying.
Doyle also praised the film’s impact, saying, "This documentary humanised Palestinian children in Gaza and gave valuable insights into life in this horrific war zone."
Journalist Richard Sanders, who has produced multiple documentaries on Gaza, called the controversy a "huge test" for the BBC and condemned its response as a "cowardly decision."
Yet, earlier this week, 45 Jewish journalists and media figures, including former BBC governor Ruth Deech, urged the broadcaster to pull the film, calling Ayman Alyazouri a "terrorist leader."
The controversy underscores wider tensions over media coverage of the Israel-Gaza war, with critics accusing the BBC of a vetting failure, while others argue the documentary sheds crucial light on Palestinian children’s suffering.
