Visitors to the BBC News website’s ‘Middle East’ page on the morning of February 23rd found the following in the ‘updates’ section:
Originally credited to London-based Lucy Clarke-Billings, that report underwent a series of amendments following its initial publication. The version currently appearing online is headlined “Israel indefinitely delays Palestinian prisoner release as hostages freed” and is also credited to Sebastian Usher “[r]eporting from Jerusalem”.
Later versions of that report opened by telling BBC audiences that: [emphasis added]
“Israel says it is indefinitely delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, in another potentially major setback in the ceasefire process.
Benjamin Netanyahu said the release was now going to be delayed until the next handover of hostages by Hamas was guaranteed – and without what the Israeli prime minister called the degrading ceremonies Hamas has put on each week.
His comments came after six Israeli hostages, including four kidnapped during the 7 October 2023 deadly Hamas attack on Israel, were released on Saturday. […]
Netanyahu accused Hamas of “repeated violations”, including the “cynical use of the hostages for propaganda purposes”.”
As we have documented here in the weeks since the ceasefire came into effect, the BBC has repeatedly failed to provide its audiences with adequate reporting on the issue of the intimidation and humiliation of the hostages about to be released during ‘ceremonies’ staged by Hamas.
MORE POINTLESS ‘ANALYSIS’ FROM BBC VERIFY
BBC HOSTAGE RELEASE REPORTS DOWNPLAY HAMAS CRUELTY
BBC DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT AIRBRUSHES HAMAS PROPAGANDA
Usher and Clarke-Billings did not bother to inform readers that during the releases of the six hostages on February 22nd, Hamas made a mentally ill man whom it had held captive for over ten years pass through jeering crowds and forced another hostage to kiss armed terrorists on the head.
Despite the BBC’s report having been repeatedly updated, readers find no mention of the relevant fact that on the evening of February 22nd, Hamas released a propaganda video which, as reported by the Times of Israel, shows two hostages not scheduled for release under the current deal.
“Hamas published a video Saturday showing Israeli hostages Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa Dalal being forced to watch as other captives were freed and begging to be saved as well. […]
The Hamas footage shows the two men in a vehicle, watching a handover ceremony for Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert in the central Gaza district of Nuseirat and pleading for Netanyahu to secure their release. […]
“This is the best sign of life I could ask for, but on the other hand there’s nothing more cruel,” Gilboa-Dalal’s father Ilan Dalal told Channel 12 news. “It’s not surprising, because it’s Hamas, but it’s a new level of torture.” […]
“They forced them to watch their friends being released and then returned them to the tunnels,” he said in remarks carried by Israel Hayom. “They can’t continue. It’s simply inhumane.” […]
David’s sister, Yeela, called Hamas “monsters” after watching the clip, saying on Instagram: “They are alive. They put both of them this morning in the most horrifying and evil situation they could be. There is no limit to the messed-up cynicism of these monsters. I admire you, my brothers.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the video was an “act of psychological torture” and a “sickening display of cruelty”.”
Usher and Clarke-Billings however neglected to inform BBC audiences of that part of the story they purport to report, despite being aware of it and notwithstanding its contextual relevance, as noted by the Times of Israel:
“The footage, described by family members as “sickening,” and the continued use of hostages as pawns for Hamas propaganda, sparked anger and revulsion in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu citing the terror group’s “humiliation” of hostages in announcing a decision to delay the release of Palestinian prisoners slated for Saturday until such displays end.”
Moreover, later versions of Clarke-Billings and Usher’s report were amended to include uncritical promotion of a statement from Hamas:
“In response, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq strongly condemned the decision to postpone the release of the prisoners in a statement on Sunday morning.
He said that Israel’s claim that the handover ceremonies were humiliating was a “false claim and a flimsy argument” aimed at evading its obligations under the ceasefire agreement.”
Additionally, Usher and Clarke-Billings failed to explain to BBC audiences why Hisham al-Sayed was released separately from the other hostages on February 22nd without a Hamas ‘ceremony’, merely stating:
“Mr al-Sayed’s release was conducted privately in Gaza City on Saturday.”
Readers are not informed that Al Jazeera had announced that Hamas would not make al-Sayed participate in one of its propaganda ‘ceremonies’ “out of “respect” for Arab-Israelis”. Had BBC audiences been informed of that part of the story, they would clearly have been better placed to put the quoted Hamas official’s claim that its “handover ceremonies” were not intended to be humiliating into its appropriate context.
Usher and Clarke-Billings even go so far as to suggest that Hamas’ propaganda stunts have become less grotesque over time:
“Hamas began releasing hostages, facilitated by the Red Cross, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners after the ceasefire agreement took effect on 19 January.
Initial chaotic scenes have become more choreographed, with hostages flanked by fighters on stages before the handovers.”
Once again we see that the BBC has no intention of providing its audiences with accurate and impartial reporting about Hamas’ cruel exploitation of the hostages for its propaganda exercises and that it is even willing to provide uncritical amplification for that terrorist organisation’s PR statements.
