The BBC has been forced to apologise after a newsreader incorrectly reported that Israel was “targeting medical teams and Arab speakers” at Gaza’s largest hospital.
On Wednesday morning Israeli troops stormed Al Shifa hospital to try and uproot Hamas terrorists they believed were hiding underground.
Whilst reporting on the siege on the hospital and turned refugee camp, newsreader Monica Miller misquoted a report about the raid which said the IDF had launched a “targeted operation against Hamas”.
Miller told viewers: “We are hearing from Reuters that Israel says its forces are carrying out an operation against Hamas in Gaza's al Shifa hospital.
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“And they are targeting people including medical teams as well as Arab speakers.'
She then went on to repeat the claim, stating that the IDF were “targeting Arab speakers as well as some of the medical staff there”.
Jewish leaders criticised the BBC for a “staggering lack of care” in reporting.
Miller referred to a report by Reuters, which said: “The IDF forces include medical teams and Arabic speakers, who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment, with the intent that no harm is caused to the civilians.”
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The hospital was stormed on Wednesday morning
ReutersBritain's largest Jewish community body slammed the blunder, stating that “this shows a staggering lack of care when reporting on a highly volatile situation”.
Another group accused the BBC of becoming a “parody” of itself.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews called for an immediate apology from the BBC, adding that “incidents like this make a mockery of the BBC's oft-stated dedication to professionalism and impartiality”.
After fierce backlash, the broadcaster issued an apology on social media: “As BBC News covered initial reports that Israeli forces had entered Gaza's main hospital, we said that 'medical teams and Arab speakers' were being targeted.
An injured person is assisted at Shifa Hospital after an air strike hit the nearby Al-Ahli HospitalReuters“This was incorrect and misquoted a Reuters report. We should have said IDF forces included medical teams and Arabic speakers for this operation.
“We apologise for this error, which fell below our usual editorial standards. The correct version of events was broadcast minutes later and we apologised for the mistake on air later in the morning.”
Last month, the BBC was forced to apologise after it blamed the exploision at the al-Ahli hospital on an “Israeli air strike”.
Over 500 people died in the attack, with evidence suggesting it was in fact caused by Islamic Jihad.
A senior boss at the BBC later admitted that the company made a “mistake” whilst reporting on the Gaza hospital strike.
