The BBC has contested the White House's inaccurate critiques of its coverage concerning the violence in Gaza, labeling accusations of retracting an article as "completely wrong" following statements made during a press briefing by President Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. The initial controversy arose when Leavitt claimed that the BBC relied exclusively on "the word of Hamas" in reporting civilian casualties from a recent shooting at an aid distribution site.
In response, the BBC issued a statement affirming that it had not removed any stories and that it strongly supports its journalism practices. Leavitt had alleged that the BBC altered the number of casualties in its headline, prompting the organization to clarify that updates to figures reflect standard protocol for fast-developing news situations. They emphasized that casualties—initially reported as 15 by medics—were later confirmed at 31 by the Hamas-run health ministry, eventually settling at a statement from the Red Cross indicating "at least 21."
Various accounts regarding the event in Rafah conflict, as civilian witnesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and health officials reported shootings occurred while people were awaiting food. Conversely, the Israeli military has denied these accusations, asserting that its forces did not engage civilians in that area. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a group with backing from the US and Israel overseeing the aid distribution, also labeled the claims as "outright fabrications."
The BBC's inability to independently verify information in Gaza is exacerbated by restrictions imposed by Israel, preventing international news organizations from accessing the territory. The situation escalated with additional reports, wherein local officials alleged that Israeli forces shot at civilians collecting aid, resulting in at least 27 fatalities. In defending its credibility, the BBC remarked that its report into a viral video, which was not connected to the aid distribution site, was a separate investigation and did not factor into its broader reporting.
The BBC further stressed the urgency for international journalists to gain access to Gaza to provide accurate depictions of the ongoing crisis. With an unprecedented number of casualties since Israel's military operations intensified in response to Hamas attacks, accurate journalism is more crucial than ever. The situation remains fluid, and reporting continues to adapt to new information.
In response, the BBC issued a statement affirming that it had not removed any stories and that it strongly supports its journalism practices. Leavitt had alleged that the BBC altered the number of casualties in its headline, prompting the organization to clarify that updates to figures reflect standard protocol for fast-developing news situations. They emphasized that casualties—initially reported as 15 by medics—were later confirmed at 31 by the Hamas-run health ministry, eventually settling at a statement from the Red Cross indicating "at least 21."
Various accounts regarding the event in Rafah conflict, as civilian witnesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and health officials reported shootings occurred while people were awaiting food. Conversely, the Israeli military has denied these accusations, asserting that its forces did not engage civilians in that area. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a group with backing from the US and Israel overseeing the aid distribution, also labeled the claims as "outright fabrications."
The BBC's inability to independently verify information in Gaza is exacerbated by restrictions imposed by Israel, preventing international news organizations from accessing the territory. The situation escalated with additional reports, wherein local officials alleged that Israeli forces shot at civilians collecting aid, resulting in at least 27 fatalities. In defending its credibility, the BBC remarked that its report into a viral video, which was not connected to the aid distribution site, was a separate investigation and did not factor into its broader reporting.
The BBC further stressed the urgency for international journalists to gain access to Gaza to provide accurate depictions of the ongoing crisis. With an unprecedented number of casualties since Israel's military operations intensified in response to Hamas attacks, accurate journalism is more crucial than ever. The situation remains fluid, and reporting continues to adapt to new information.
