London – SABA:
Ben de Pear, executive producer of a documentary exposing the targeting of medical personnel in Gaza, has accused the BBC of attempting to silence him and his team after the broadcaster refused to air the film.
In a post on LinkedIn published Friday, de Pear, founder of Basement Films (the company that produced the documentary), revealed that the BBC tried to impose a “double confidentiality clause” on the team — a demand he flatly rejected.
The documentary, titled “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack”, presents live testimonies and footage exposing the systematic targeting of medical facilities and workers by the Israeli army during repeated attacks on Gaza, despite the protections afforded to healthcare personnel under international law.
The BBC had been scheduled to broadcast the film in June, but ultimately canceled its airing, citing concerns about “impartiality.” The broadcasting rights were later acquired by Channel 4, which proceeded to air the documentary.
In a related development, more than 100 BBC employees signed an open letter criticizing the broadcaster’s editorial direction, accusing it of becoming a “propaganda mouthpiece” for the Israeli government in its coverage of the war on Gaza.
The letter was also endorsed by over 400 figures from the media and arts sectors, including actors Miriam Margolyes and Charles Dance, and director Mike Leigh. The growing discontent reflects serious internal concern about the BBC’s editorial stance.
The letter condemned the BBC for failing to uphold its editorial standards, stating that its coverage falls short of addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and at times resembles “PR for the Israeli government and military.”
The BBC’s decision to pull the documentary — “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack” — sparked widespread controversy, particularly because it had already received preliminary editorial approval. Internal sources suggest the decision may have been influenced by comments from some participants, including journalist Ramita Navai, who referred to Israel as a “rogue state.”
The BBC claimed that the film did not pass its final editorial review and that airing it could give the “appearance of bias.” However, signatories of the letter argued that the move was politically motivated, reflecting a culture of editorial fear within the organization.