The BBC is reviewing a list of journalists killed in Gaza after reports identified 53 individuals as members of terrorist organizations.
Key facts
- •The BBC Arabic list of journalists killed in Gaza includes over 180 names and was most recently updated in August 2025.
- •The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has removed 12 of the 53 disputed individuals from its own records.
- •Evidence cited includes photos of individuals in Al-Qassam Brigade uniforms and obituaries published by groups like Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
- •A November whistleblower report alleged that BBC Arabic gave airtime to guests who made antisemitic comments.
- •The BBC is currently reviewing the inclusion of the 53 individuals on its published list.
The BBC is conducting a review of a list published by BBC Arabic that identifies 53 individuals as journalists killed during the Israel-Hamas war. A report from The Telegraph states that these individuals were claimed as martyrs by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations. The BBC list, which has been updated periodically since the October 7 massacre, currently includes over 180 names of Palestinian journalists.
By the numbers
Findings Regarding List Members
According to the report, 10 of the 53 individuals were identified as journalists by both BBC Arabic and English-language BBC, while the remaining 43 appeared only on the BBC Arabic list. A review by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) led to the removal of 12 of these names from its own casualty list after determining that several individuals belonged to terror groups or participated in the October 7 attacks. Specifically, Abdullah Darwish was removed after being identified in Al-Qassam Brigade uniform, and Yaqoub Al-Barsh was removed following evidence of his membership in the same brigade.
Evidence of Militant Affiliation
The report details that 20 of the 53 individuals had obituaries published by terrorist groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad or Hamas, which described them as field commanders or brigade members. An additional 21 individuals appeared in online images wearing military uniforms or carrying weapons, including one person shown training with a grenade launcher and another hailed as a hero of the Al-Qassam Brigades.
Previous Allegations of Bias
The BBC has faced prior criticism regarding its coverage of the conflict. A November whistleblower report alleged that BBC Arabic minimized Israeli suffering and presented Israel as the aggressor. The whistleblower claimed the network provided a platform to guests who made antisemitic remarks, citing instances where individuals who referred to Jews as "devils" or referenced Hitler appeared on the network hundreds of times.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Jerusalem Post.
