The BBC has issued an apology after an internal staff email marking the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks referred to the massacre as an “escalation,” The Telegraph reports.
The controversial message was circulated to employees in acknowledgment of the anniversary of the Hamas atrocities. It was later retracted and addressed internally after staff expressed outrage over the wording.
The email had been sent by the BBC Audiences division, which regularly provides updates on viewer research and offers staff guidance on audience feedback and media engagement.
The message stated, “As we reach the two-year anniversary of the escalations in the Israel-Gaza conflict, we asked UK audiences what they want and need from news coverage moving forward.” Instead of including photos of Israeli victims of the Hamas assault, the email featured an image of Palestinian women and children standing amid the ruins of destroyed buildings in Gaza.
According to The Telegraph, a senior BBC news presenter explained that the email was written by a junior employee. He remarked, “I don’t think the people who wrote that are evil; I think they just don’t understand anything about the modern world.”
He added, “To use a picture of Palestinian suffering when you are marking the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks: how does that get signed off? It just epitomises everything the BBC is having to grapple with internally.”
Danny Cohen, who previously served as BBC television’s director, sharply criticized the incident. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said, “This is shocking but not surprising. It is another example of the everyday institutional bias at the BBC.”
“To call the 7 October terrorist massacre an ‘escalation’ is deeply offensive. It is the kind of language Hamas might use,” he continued.
“One might also assume that on this day, the picture used by the BBC would focus on Jewish victims of the October 7 pogrom. But the BBC’s instinctive bias meant that this was not the case, even on this day of mourning.”
A BBC representative defended the image selection when speaking with The Telegraph, explaining that the photo of Gaza was chosen because the internal update discussed public attitudes toward the broader Israel-Gaza conflict.
The email also linked to a longer internal article recounting the events of October 7 and the ongoing war. It read: “On October 7, 2023, the conflict between Palestine and Israel reached a new escalation when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking over 200 hostages.
“In response, Israel launched a prolonged military campaign in Gaza, resulting in widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis. Over the following months, ceasefire efforts stalled, global pressure intensified, and civilian casualties continued to rise, sparking worldwide protests and diplomatic tensions.”
The note went on to say, “In September 2025, the UK government announced its formal recognition of the State of Palestine, shortly before the two-year anniversary of the Hamas attack.”
“This moment presents both a challenge and an opportunity for BBC journalists in how they cover the conflict for our audiences.”
After the message circulated, numerous employees voiced frustration over its phrasing and the choice of imagery. A BBC insider told The Telegraph: “It is shocking that such a description of a one-sided atrocity is used in, of all things, a briefing about audience expectations from the BBC. It demonstrates – again – unconscious bias and terrible insensitivity towards Jewish staff.”
Following the internal backlash, the broadcaster issued an apology. A BBC spokesperson said: “This internal staff email should have been worded differently and we’re sorry for any offence caused. We are editing it and will replace the text on our intranet.”
The incident adds to a growing series of controversies surrounding allegations of anti-Israel bias within the BBC.
Earlier this year, in February 2025, the network apologized after anchor Nicky Schiller mistakenly described three Israeli hostages who had been freed as “prisoners” on live television.
In July, the BBC again came under fire for airing the documentary Gaza: How to Survive A War Zone, after it emerged that the narrator had close personal ties to Hamas — a breach of the network’s editorial standards on impartiality and accuracy.
{Matzav.com}
