BBC coverage of the IPC Gaza City famine report – part one

August 22^nd saw the appearance of the latest report from The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). As had been expected, that report – which was welcomed by Hamas – determines that the Gaza Governorate region of the coastal strip, which includes the densely populated Gaza City, is now experiencing a famine.

As observed by Joe Truzman at the FDD and others, the timing of the appearance of that IPC report is worthy of note.

“For Hamas, the IPC report is a political windfall, arriving at a moment when Israel is threatening a significant offensive against Gaza City. The Islamist group and its backers will leverage the report to intensify international pressure on Israel to halt its offensive and sign a ceasefire deal that ensures Hamas’s continued rule.”

The BBC News website was predictably quick off the mark to publish multiple items relating to that story, beginning with a dedicated live page that was opened even before the report’s release.

In addition to promoting false narratives concerning a “siege” (at 10:30) and a “blockade” (at 14:31) on the Gaza Strip despite the entry of nearly two million tons of aid since the start of the war, the BBC’s ‘live page’ also spreads disinformation concerning crossings.

The fact is that despite the allegation from Tom Fletcher (he of “14,000 babies” fame), four crossings under Israel’s control – Kerem Shalom in the south, Zikim in the north and crossings 96 and 147 in the centre – are open. Trucks arriving at the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing (which was closed by Egypt) can enter via the Kerem Shalom crossing following security checks.

Another notable aspect of the BBC’s ‘live page’ is its promotion of statements from assorted organisations without informing readers that they are in fact IPC partners – for example:

Neither did the BBC bother to clarify that one of the people credited by the IPC as having “contributed to this report” – Zeina Jamaluddine – had previously participated in the production of dubious papers on the topic of the current war and another – Andrew Seal – has a far from impartial social media record. 

BBC PROMOTES THE LANCET REPORT ON GAZA CASUALTY FIGURES

The BBC’s ‘live page’ includes entries relating to rebuttals of the IPC report from COGAT (at 12:05 and 12:11) and the MFA (at 12:41) but fails to provide a link to either of those statements.

COGAT’s statement, for example, includes the following:

“Its famine classification rests on an unpublished phone survey and questionable assessments by UNRWA, a UN agency known for its workers being an integral part of Hamas, and local NGOs, while speculating wildly about mortality rates that even Hamas’s own Health Ministry does not report.”

The MFA’s rebuttal states:

“On 22 August 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released an analysis declaring famine in Gaza City. Although the IPC has previously confirmed famine in other crises, this was the first time such a declaration was made for Gaza — and the first time it rested on evidence that fell far short of the standard normally required. Famine classifications are intended to be exceptional, applied only when mortality and malnutrition rates clearly and indisputably exceed the most extreme benchmarks.

In this case, however, the declaration was issued not only without evidence that would justify it under the IPC’s own criteria, but also in contradiction to more recent data that was publicly available before the report’s release yet was ignored in the analysis. Instead of reflecting current conditions, the classification relied on outdated figures while downplaying or disregarding newer information that directly undermined the famine classification.”

Despite not having provided readers with the links to those statements, the BBC’s ‘live page does include entries concerning the IPC’s rejection of criticisms of its methodology (e.g. at 12:46, including a link to an IPC statement) along with the following entry from BBC Verify:

Interestingly, Merlyn Thomas fails to inform BBC audiences that Alex de Waal (who, five years ago was presented by the BBC as a “Sudan analyst” but is now a “global expert on famine”) had already used a Qatari funded media platform to accuse Israel of “precisely engineered starvation”, “genocidal starvation” and “concealment of famine” a month prior to the appearance of this IPC report and even before the publication of the IPC’s July 29 ‘alert’. Neither are BBC audiences told that de Waal’s organisation has been “a leader of the “starvation as a weapon” narrative against Israel” since the beginning of the war.

Those seeking to understand whether or not the IPC did or did not in fact change its methodology can find more information from analyst Mark Zlochin here, here and here.

Relatedly, this ‘live page’ had nothing to tell BBC audiences about the reliability of previous IPC reports to which, in some cases, it provided generous amplification.

AN OVERVIEW OF BBC NEWS WEBSITE PROMOTION OF AN IPC REPORT

BBC NEWS CONTINUES TO PROMOTE A NARRATIVE ON FAMINE IN GAZA

HOW DID THE BBC REPORT THE IPC’S LATEST ‘FAMINE’ STUDY?

Part two of this post will discuss additional BBC reporting on the latest IPC report.

Related Articles:

BBC VERIFY TRIES TO PROP UP A CHOSEN NARRATIVE

HOW THE BBC JOINED THE GAZA STARVATION CAMPAIGN

BBC NEWS AGAIN DOES SELECTIVE FRAMING OF EVENTS YET TO HAPPEN

BBC NEWS PROMOTES ANOTHER NGO CAMPAIGN BUT FAILS TO TELL ALL