BBC backlash grows as over 50 MPs sign damning letter demanding Hamas be called terrorists

The letter states: “There has been cross party support calling for the BBC to name Hamas as what they are – terrorists. The Prime Minister was clear last Monday that ‘they are not militants, they are terrorists’.”

“We have seen the Foreign Secretary calling the BBC out live on air and the Leader of His Majesty’s Opposition and the Defence Secretary also publicly denouncing your reluctance to change the BBC Guidelines in light of the horrendous attacks Hamas are committing in Israel.”

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The letter states that Hamas has been declared an official terrorist group since 2021, and to label them as something else would be “a misrepresentation of reality”.

It references the 1,400 people who have been murdered by Hamas since the conflict began and states that: “We have been further shocked to the core by the horrific reports from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, near the Gaza border, that among those slaughtered by Hamas were 40 children and babies, some of whom had their heads cut off.

“If this is not terrorism, we ask you, what is?”

The board makes reference to the rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK since the conflict in the Middle East began, pointing to a 581 per cent rise in activities targeting Jewish people.

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“The Jewish community in this country is deeply concerned for their safety,” the letter states.

It continues: “The description of Hamas as ‘militants’ does nothing to resolve this situation. It is in the public interest that the BBC describes events transparently and with the utmost journalistic integrity.

“Calling Hamas terrorists does not mean sacrificing the BBC’s rules of impartiality and it not only means standing with those who have suffered at the hands of terrorism, but also means using the internationally accepted classification for the group leading these attacks.”

The letter ends by asking the BBC to “urge you to hear our words”.

Tim Davie is due to be challenged next week over the BBC’s refusal to label Hamas as terrorists at a rare meeting with Tory backbenchers next week.

Mr Davie will address a mass meeting of the Tory party's 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs late on Wednesday afternoon in the House of Commons.

The MPs will also question Mr Davie about why the corporation has refused to describe Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

Israel has also condemned the BBC for their coverage of the conflict.

A senior Israeli official said the Government could take action if the BBC continued “crossing the line in accordance with our laws”.

Meanwhile, Michael Fabricant, Tory MP has also decided to take matters into his own hands.

He has written to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport requesting a formal inquiry into the broadcaster, after Ofcom refused to conduct an investigation.