A recently published ‘frequently asked questions’ page on the website of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) has caused quite a stir due to the fact that one of the drop-down sections relates to the termination of some of the NGO’s activities at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis.
Anyone who has been following reports relating to Nasser hospital over the past two years would of course not be remotely surprised by that rather belated announcement.
In January 2024 it was reported that Israeli hostages had been held at Nasser hospital and that a rocket had been fired from its grounds. Later the same month, the IDF reported that Hamas terrorists were operating “from inside and around the Nasser hospital and Al-Amal hospital in Khan Yunis”. A BBC report at the time promoted statements from the Hamas-run ministry of health and MSF:
“Gaza’s health ministry meanwhile accused the IDF of “isolating hospitals in Khan Younis and carrying out massacres in the western area of the city”. […]
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned on Tuesday night that its staff inside the nearby Nasser Medical Complex – the largest hospital still partly functioning in Gaza – had reported bombing and heavy gunfire nearby.
“They are currently unable to evacuate along with the thousands of people in the hospital, including 850 patients, due to roads to and from the building being either inaccessible or too dangerous.””
In February 2024 the IDF carried out operations at Nasser hospital which received extensive coverage on the BBC News website, with reports including unquestioning promotion of Hamas denials. [emphasis in bold added]
“The Israeli military has previously accused Hamas fighters of operating from inside and around the two hospitals – a claim that the armed group and medical officials have denied.” [source]
“Israel said it launched a “precise and limited mission” at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, adding it had intelligence that Hamas had held hostages there.
Hamas dismissed the claim as “lies”.” [source]
“The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Hamas fighters were hiding inside and that Israeli hostages’ bodies might also be there.
A spokesperson for Hamas denied that, calling it “lies”.” [source]
The BBC’s fact-checking department – BBC Verify – ignored the existence of filmed interrogations of terrorists and the testimonies from former hostages, telling audiences at the time that:
“The Israeli army claim that they have intelligence that Hamas held hostages in Nasser hospital, but they haven’t provided any evidence.” [source]
BBC NEWS WEBSITE COVERAGE OF THE NASSER HOSPITAL OPERATION
AN OVERVIEW OF BBC NEWS’ SECOND NASSER HOSPITAL BINGE
In April 2024 the BBC promoted claims concerning “mass graves” at the Nasser and Shifa hospitals, along with more Hamas denials of the exploitation of hospitals.
“The Israeli military has said it has raided a number of hospitals in Gaza during the war because Hamas fighters have been operating inside them – a claim Hamas and medical officials have denied.”
HOW DID A BBC REPORT ON ‘MASS GRAVES’ COME ABOUT?
In June 2024 the BBC reported that:
“Testimony from a number of other released hostages places 10 hostages in total at Nasser hospital, one of whom remains in captivity.
When asked by the BBC to comment on Ms Sagi’s allegations, the hospital’s director, Dr Atef al-Hoot, denied that any hostages were kept there and said it only provided humanitarian services.
The Israeli military has previously said its troops detained “about 200 terrorists who were in the hospital” during a raid on Nasser hospital in February, and that they found ammunition as well as unused medicines intended for Israeli hostages.
Hamas has denied Israeli claims that its fighters have been operating inside Nasser and other hospitals across Gaza.”
The BBC displayed no interest in investigating the issue of the exploitation of the Nasser hospital and other medical facilities by terrorists in the months that followed and so in March 2025 audiences were once again told that:
“Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using hospitals as hiding places for weapons and command centres, which the group denies.”
BBC REPORT PROMOTES HAMAS DISINFORMATION FOR 19 HOURS
In April 2025 the head of nursing at Nasser hospital posted that he had been threatened by a terrorist organisation but the BBC showed no interest in that story.
In May 2025, in another report quoting MSF, BBC audiences were once again told that:
“The Israeli military has repeatedly attacked what it claims are Hamas command-and-control centres based in hospitals or gunmen sheltering there. Hamas denies using hospitals in this way.”
BBC’S ABUALOUF FAILS TO INFORM ON ‘GAZA JOURNALIST’
During the same month, reports emerged of Hamas using Nasser hospital as a detention and interrogation centre but the BBC again showed no interest in that story.
THE STORIES THE BBC DOES AND DOES NOT REPORT FROM NASSER HOSPITAL
In June 2025 BBC reports quoted “the director of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Atef Al-Hout” but failed to note his record of support for terrorism on social media.
LOOKING BEHIND THE TITLES OF TWO BBC SOURCES IN THE GAZA STRIP
Also in June 2025, the BBC ignored reports that GHF staffers wounded in a Hamas attack and taken to Nasser hospital were not given treatment due to Hamas threats against staff.
MORE BBC PROMOTION OF HAMAS AID CLAIMS AND MESSAGING
To date, visitors to the BBC News website have not seen any reporting on the MSF statement concerning Nasser hospital, which has reportedly been denied by Hamas.
While contrasts with the corporation’s usual enthusiastic promotion of that NGO’s campaigns and talking points, it has been abundantly clear for over two years that the BBC has repeatedly failed its audiences by serially avoiding the highly relevant issue of years of terrorist exploitation of Nasser hospital and other medical facilities in the Gaza Strip and by repeatedly – but unquestioningly – providing a worldwide platform for Hamas’ redundant denials of actions that endanger patients and medical staff alike.
