Channel 4 to broadcast Gaza documentary dropped by BBC
30 Jun 2025 10:04am
An ambulance arrives to help a man injured after a Israeli quadcopter fired on civilians in the Saftawi neighborhood, west of Jabalia on June 27, 2025. - (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)
LONDON - Britain's Channel 4 will air a documentary about the experiences of medics in Gaza after the BBC opted not to broadcast it due to concerns over impartiality, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
Gaza: Doctors Under Attack was originally commissioned by the BBC more than a year ago from the independent production company Basement Films.
It features first-hand accounts from Palestinian health workers on the frontline and examines alleged attacks on hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza.
Despite commissioning the film, the BBC delayed its broadcast, citing an ongoing internal review into another programme about the region.
The corporation ultimately decided not to proceed with the broadcast, stating the film could give rise to "a perception of partiality that would not meet the high standards that the public rightly expect."
The one-off documentary will now be shown on Channel 4 at 10 pm on Wednesday, July 2.
Channel 4 announced that the film has been "fact-checked and compiled by Channel 4 to ensure it meets Channel 4 editorial standards and the Ofcom broadcasting code." Palestinian civil defence firefighters extinguish a fire with a hose following an Israeli strike at the UNRWA's Osama bin Zaid school in the Saftawi district in western Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on June 27, 2025. - (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)
Louisa Compton, Channel 4's Head of News and Current Affairs and Specialist Factual and Sport, said: "This is a meticulously reported and important film examining evidence which supports allegations of grave breaches of international law by Israeli forces that deserves to be widely seen and exemplifies Channel 4's commitment to brave and fearless journalism."
Basement Films, which has produced two previous documentaries on the war in Gaza since Oct 7, 2023, described the making of this third instalment as their "most difficult."
In a statement, the company said: "This is the third film we have made about the assault on Gaza since Oct 7 at Basement Films, and whilst none of them has been easy, this one has by far been the most difficult.
"As ever, we owe everything to our Palestinian colleagues on the ground; over 200 of whom have been killed by Israel, and the doctors and medics who trusted us with their stories.
"We want to apologise to the contributors and team for the long delay, and thank Channel 4 for enabling it to be seen." - BERNAMA
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