In a recent article at the JISS, Major (res) Avi Tal wrote about ‘The Gaza “Starvation” Campaign: An Organized Effort to Discredit Israel’.
“A coordinated “starvation” campaign has been launched to malign Israel internationally with claims that its actions in Gaza are causing famine and have already led to the deaths of more than one hundred Gazans. The campaign is designed to support Hamas’s push to end the war under its conditions. It is being promoted by Palestinian, Arab, and foreign media to pressure Israel. In reality, it distorts the genuine hardship on the ground, which stems primarily from the lack of distribution of food already inside Gaza and the chaotic handling of incoming aid. […]
The campaign’s success benefits Hamas by deflecting responsibility for civilian suffering, allowing it both to shift attention from its obstruction of hostage deal negotiations and to use the additional aid and pauses to regroup.”
On July 19th Turkish state media reported that:
“Palestinian group Hamas on Saturday urged the international community to “raise its voice and take to the streets” in solidarity with Gaza and to denounce “Israel’s policy of starvation and genocide.”
“Let Sunday and the coming days be global days of rage and condemnation of the crimes committed against innocent civilians in Gaza,” Hamas said in a statement.
It also urged joint Arab, Islamic, and international efforts to stop “the humanitarian catastrophe facing over 2 million Palestinians” in the blockaded enclave.
Earlier Saturday, the Gaza Health Ministry warned of worsening famine, citing rising deaths due to hunger and the collapse of medical infrastructure.”
That call was promoted by the Hamas affiliated Shehab Agency and others.
Jonathan Sacerdoti exposed a leaked e-mail sent to BBC staff days later on July 25th:
“The email, which was sent to BBC staff on Friday, begins by declaring that ‘the argument over how much aid has crossed into Gaza is irrelevant’ and instructs staff that ‘we should say’ the current distribution system ‘doesn’t work’. It explicitly favours a particular explanation of suffering in Gaza: one that blames the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)…”
As we have documented, the BBC self-conscripted to the UN’s anti-GHF campaign even before that organisation had begun operations:
HOW BBC FRAMING OF THE GHF TOES THE UN LINE
A review of content relating to the topics of humanitarian aid, food distribution and allegations of starvation, malnutrition or famine that was published on the BBC News website during the month of July 2025 shows that the BBC continued to promote its chosen narratives regarding the GHF.
In the eighteen days between July 1st and July 18th, the BBC News website’s ‘Middle East’ page published thirteen reports relating to those topics. All those reports promote messaging concerning Hamas health ministry and/or UN human rights office claims of alleged casualties at GHF distribution sites and/or amplification of calls to close down that aid distribution system. Some of the reports amplify the related Hamas demand that “aid be distributed exclusively by the UN and its partners”.
Notably, just two of the thirteen reports – July 12, David Gritten and July 13, Jaroslav Lukiv – include brief references to “severe shortages of food” and “thousands of malnourished children”. Gritten’s report is the only one to mention “an alarming rise in cases of malnutrition among adults.”
July 1:
“US-Israeli backed Gaza aid group must be shut down, say 170 charities” Helen Sullivan
July 2:
“Trump says Israel has agreed to conditions for 60-day Gaza ceasefire” Wyre Davies and Rushdi Abualouf
July 3:
“Gaza aid contractor tells BBC he saw colleagues fire on hungry Palestinians” Lucy Williamson
“Dozens killed in Gaza as Israel intensifies bombardment, rescuers say” David Gritten
July 5:
“Hamas says it delivered ‘positive response’ on US Gaza ceasefire plan” Rushdi Abualouf and Wyre Davies
“US aid workers wounded, says Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” Ruth Comerford
July 6:
“Israel sends negotiators to Gaza talks despite ‘unacceptable’ Hamas demands, PM says” Sebastian Usher and David Gritten
July 9:
“Gaza truce talks reportedly stall despite second Netanyahu-Trump meeting” Sebastian Usher and Rushdi Abualouf
July 12:
“‘They were just kids’: Mother mourns sons killed in Israeli strike while waiting for aid” David Gritten
“Gaza ceasefire talks on verge of collapse, Palestinian officials say” Rushdi Abualouf
July 13:
“Gaza hospital says 24 people killed near aid site as witnesses blame IDF” Jaroslav Lukiv
“Gaza officials say children killed in strike as Israeli military admits ‘error’” Rushdi Abualouf and Maia Davies
July 16:
“At least 20 killed in crush at US-backed GHF aid site in Gaza” David Gritten
In the thirteen days between July 19th – the day that Hamas put out its call to denounce “Israel’s policy of starvation and genocide” – and July 31st, the BBC News website published forty-seven items relating to the topics of humanitarian aid, food distribution and allegations of starvation, malnutrition or famine.
While all of those 47 items amplify claims of starvation, malnutrition or famine, some of them also continue to promote the BBC’s chosen messaging concerning the GHF. Additional framing seen in some of those reports includes inaccurate allegations of Israeli “restrictions on the flow of aid” and the amplification of irrelevant demands to allow “the United Nations to restart the supply of aid”.
On July 24th the BBC joined a campaign promoting the theme of ‘starving journalists’ which had been launched on July 21st – two days after Hamas published its rallying call.
July 19:
“Dozens killed by Israeli gunfire near aid sites in south Gaza, Hamas-run ministry says” Emir Nader and Tom McArthur
July 20:
“Israeli forces kill 67 Palestinians seeking aid in northern Gaza, Hamas-run ministry says” Yolande Knell and Jack Burgess (dated July 21 but originally published July 20)
Live page: “‘I can’t hold on any longer’: Gazans tell BBC of extreme hunger as UN condemns Israel-backed aid system”
“Israeli tanks advance into Gaza’s Deir al-Balah city for first time” Rushdi Abualouf and David Gritten
July 21:
“UK and 27 other nations condemn Israel over ‘inhumane killing’ of Gaza civilians seeking aid” David Gritten (dated July 22 but originally published July 21)
July 22:
“WHO condemns Israeli attacks on facilities in central Gaza” David Gritten
“Gaza health ministry says 33 people died from malnutrition in 48 hours” Rushdi Abualouf and David Gritten
“Jeremy Bowen: Israel’s allies see evidence of war crimes in Gaza mounting up” Jeremy Bowen
“Lammy ‘appalled and sickened’ by civilian suffering in Gaza” Maia Davies
July 23:
Live page: “UN agency says 6,000 lorries’ worth of aid ready to enter Gaza and urges Israel to allow access”
July 24:
“Gazans ‘wasting away’ as mass starvation spreads, humanitarian groups warn” David Gritten
“BBC and news agencies warn journalists in Gaza at risk of starvation” Amy Walker
“We might get killed, but we have to get food, injured Gazan tells BBC” Emir Nader
“‘I can barely do one story. I just feel dizzy’ – BBC’s Gaza freelance journalists tell of struggle for food” Yolande Knell
July 25:
“The story behind the photograph of a starving Gaza baby”
“One in five children in Gaza City is malnourished, UN aid agency says” Aoife Walsh and Paulin Kola
“‘All the people are hungry’: Voices from Gaza on desperate lack of food”
“‘I’m so tired’: Mother of starving Gazan baby speaks to BBC”
“He went to get aid and didn’t come back – stories of people killed in Gaza” Ethar Shalaby
“Trump says Hamas ‘didn’t want deal’ as US and Israel leave Gaza talks” David Gritten and Jaroslav Lukiv
“Starmer under pressure to recognise Palestinian statehood” Paul Seddon
Live page: “Gazans tell BBC of air drop fears as aid agencies call plan ‘grotesque distraction’”
“220 MPs call for Starmer to recognise Palestinian state” Sam Francis
July 26:
“‘I witnessed war crimes’ in Gaza, former worker at GHF aid site tells BBC” Jeremy Bowen
“Almost a third of people in Gaza not eating for days, UN food programme warns” Maia Davies
“UK working to get aid dropped into Gaza, Starmer says” Euan O’Byrne Mulligan
“What is inside the GHF food aid box being distributed in Gaza?” Kevin Nguyen and Alex Murray, BBC Verify
“Gaza aid site offered a ‘women only’ day. It didn’t stop the killing” Emir Nader
“Israel says it will open routes to allow aid convoys into Gaza” Ruth Comerford and Alex Boyd
“Bowen: Air dropping aid is an act of desperation that won’t end hunger in Gaza” Jeremy Bowen
July 27:
“Gaza air drops ‘a grotesque distraction’, aid agencies warn” Joe Inwood
“Malnutrition in Gaza at alarming levels, WHO warns as aid airdrops resume” Ruth Comerford
“Bowen: Israel’s aid measures a gesture to allies horrified by Gaza starvation” Jeremy Bowen
“‘We need a real solution’: Gazans welcome aid plan but fear it will not end crisis” Rushdi Abualouf
“Starmer to discuss Gaza with Trump at Scotland talks” Fiona Nimoni
July 28:
“Gaza experiencing ‘real starvation’, Trump says” David Gritten and Graeme Baker
July 29:
Live page: “Seven more malnutrition deaths reported in Gaza, as Hamas-run health ministry says 104 killed in 24 hours”
“Famine ‘currently playing out’ in Gaza, UN-backed experts warn” David Gritten
“Gazan mother of malnourished baby speaks to BBC”
“UK to recognise Palestinian state unless Israel meets conditions” Becky Morton
“Watch: How did Gaza get to the brink of starvation?” Paul Adams
“Lammy hopes plan to recognise Palestinian state ‘will get ceasefire’” Jennifer McKiernan and Damian Grammaticas
“More than 60,000 people killed in Gaza during Israel offensive, Hamas-run health ministry says” Mallory Moench
July 30:
“Seven more die from malnutrition in Gaza, Hamas-run ministry says” Jaroslav Lukiv
“Israel and hostages’ families condemn UK plan to recognise Palestinian state” David Gritten
July 31:
“Gazan boy first to be treated in UK for war injuries” Caroline Hawley
“US envoy to visit Gaza, as hospital says dozens killed seeking food” David Gritten and James Chater
As we see, BBC News website coverage of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip rose dramatically after Hamas put out its rallying call and in particular after the BBC joined the media sector campaign and its journalists received their management’s directive on how to cover the story.
Information provided to BBC audiences on the topic of alleged deaths either as a result of food insecurity or while collecting humanitarian aid was based directly or indirectly (via the UN) on claims put out by the ministry of health run by the same terrorist organisation that put out the call for an international campaign.
By contrast, BBC audiences saw very little reporting on the topic of reports of Hamas intercepting and disrupting the distribution of humanitarian aid or on the issue of the UN’s rejection of offers from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (which Hamas wants dismantled) to help distribute food aid to Gazans.
Without a doubt, this latest BBC decision to abandon its obligation to provide its funding public with accurate and impartial reporting – along with basic journalistic principles – and instead to self-conscript to a coordinated Hamas enabling PR campaign will only further damage its reputation and erode whatever remains of trust in its Middle East reporting.
Related Articles:
BBC DOES ‘RINSE AND REPEAT’ FRAMING OF GAZA AID AIRDROPS
BEHIND THE BBC’S PROMOTION OF A GHF ‘WHISTLEBLOWER’
BBC GAZA REPORTING AGAIN PROMOTES UNVERIFIED HAMAS CLAIMS AND NARRATIVES
BBC NEWS REVIVES PRE-WAR AID AMOUNTS MISINFORMATION
WHEN JOURNALISTS BECOME THE STORY
BBC AGAIN FAILS TO PROVIDE CONTEXT TO ‘STARVING GAZA BABY’ PHOTOS
More reason the Israeli government should ban the BBC
Netanyahu should be ashamed of himself as he has been alerted this numerous times using the PMO Contact Web site https://www.gov.il/en/departments/prime_ministers_office/govil-landing-page – see Contact Form.
It as if there is somebody working for this office belonging to Israel’s Deep State