Last week, the BBC pulled the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, after its initial screening on Monday evening following a campaign by the Zionist lobby, including the Tzipi Hotovely, Israel’s ultra-right-wing ambassador in London, after it emerged that the child narrator is the son of a Palestinian minister in the Hamas-run government.
We and other members of the Palestine coalition are urging everyone appalled by this action to complain to the BBC. These are the steps to take:
1. Visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint/#/Complaint
2. Fill out all necessary information leaving blank any inapplicable boxes, using the following information:
What is your complaint about? TV (Programmes/Schedule)
Which TV channel or service is your complaint about? BBC Two
Programme Title: Gaza : How to Survive a Warzone
Date: Friday 21st February
Category of complaint: Other
Subject of Complaint: BBC decision to remove Gaza documentary
Complaint :
I am writing to express my profound disappointment and concern over the BBC’s decision to remove the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone from its platform. This decision not only undermines the BBC’s commitment to journalistic integrity but also contributes to the alarming trend of suppressing Palestinian voices and narratives.
The documentary, which provides a harrowing yet vital account of life in Gaza through the eyes of four young Palestinians, is a crucial piece of journalism. It exposes the human cost of a conflict that has devastated countless lives. The BBC’s decision to bow to criticism and remove the film is an affront to the principles of public service broadcasting. It sends a chilling message that Palestinian narratives are disposable, particularly when they challenge the dominant, sanitised narratives perpetuated by those in power.
The objections raised regarding the film’s narrator, 13-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri, are both disingenuous and misplaced. The fact that Abdullah’s father holds a civil service role in Gaza’s administration is irrelevant to the validity of Abdullah’s experiences as a child living through war. To suggest otherwise is a deliberate attempt to discredit and dehumanise Palestinian voices. It is imperative to distinguish between individuals performing essential administrative functions and those involved in political or military leadership. Public services in Gaza—such as healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure—are maintained by civil servants and technocrats whose work is vital to the survival of the population. Their employment does not equate to political endorsement, and to imply otherwise is both dishonest and dangerous.
The documentary does not glorify or condemn Hamas; it is a stark, unflinching portrayal of civilian life under siege. By removing it, the BBC has effectively sided with those who seek to suppress any narrative that challenges their agenda. This is particularly egregious given the broader context in which medical and humanitarian professionals in Gaza have been targeted, scrutinised, and vilified simply for doing their jobs in a territory where essential infrastructure has been systematically destroyed.
The issue here is not about the identity of the narrator or his family background. It is about the systemic denial of Palestinians’ right to tell their own stories. The documentary barely scratches the surface of the suffering endured by civilians in Gaza, yet even this limited account has been deemed too controversial to remain accessible. This decision is not just a failure of journalistic ethics; it is an act of complicity in the ongoing oppression and silencing of the Palestinian people.
Israel advocacy groups will always find ways to delegitimise Palestinian narratives, no matter how compelling or well-documented they may be. It is the BBC’s responsibility, as a public service broadcaster, to resist such efforts and to ensure that marginalised voices are heard. By removing this documentary, the BBC has abdicated this responsibility and has instead chosen to align itself with those who seek to control and distort the narrative.
I urge the BBC to reconsider its decision and to reinstate the documentary immediately. The BBC must stand firm against attempts to suppress first-hand accounts of life in Gaza and must reaffirm its commitment to journalistic integrity, impartiality, and the amplification of marginalised voices.
I look forward to your response and hope that the BBC will take swift action to rectify this regrettable decision.
3. Don’t forget to verify your email address as instructed at the end of the form so that the complaint goes through!