by Gordon Rayner, Telegraph
Supposed reporters pictured on social media holding rifles and wearing military fatigues
The BBC has reported the deaths of 53 “journalists” in Gaza who have been claimed as terrorists by Hamas and other groups.
Some of them took part in the Oct 7 attacks and several have been hailed as “martyrs” by their terrorist organisations.
The majority of the reports describing them as journalists appeared on BBC Arabic, which The Telegraph exposed last year for widespread anti-Israeli bias.
The broadcaster promised at the time that it would instigate reforms of BBC Arabic to address the issues highlighted by The Telegraph. However, when Matt Brittin, the new director-general, started work in June, Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, told him she still had concerns about it.
The BBC has told The Telegraph that it is now reviewing the inclusion of the militants in its coverage.
Many of the supposed journalists are pictured on social media dressed in military fatigues and holding weapons and, in some cases, wearing headbands associated with terrorist groups.