The BBC apologized for documentary that spread about the lives of minors in Gaza

The British public corporation BBC apologized this Thursday due to the «serious mistakes» incurred by disseminating a documentary about the lives of minors in Gaza, after confirming that the protagonist of the work is the son of a high position of the Palestinian group Hamás.

The documentary ‘Gaza: how to survive a war zone’ was removed from the BBC Iplayer digital platform last week, after information appeared about his narrator, a 13 -year -old boy who turned out to be the son of the Vice Minister of Agriculture in the Gaza Government, directed by Hamas.

«BBC News has carried out an initial program review. Today, the BBC Board of Directors was informed of that work. Identified serious errors in the elaboration of the program. Some were the work of the producing company and others of the BBC, all of them are unacceptable, ”said a chain spokesman in a statement.

In the note, the BBC «assumes full responsibility (for errors) and the impact they have had on the reputation of the corporation», and asks «apologies.»

In his opinion, the «incident has damaged the confidence» of the public in the chain, since, although the documentary was made by an external producer, it is the BBC that has «the ultimate publishing responsibility.»

The spokesman said that the British producer Hoyo Films, responsible for the elaboration of the piece, denied during the production of any connection of the child and his family with Hamas, despite being asked repeatedly, but finally it was shown that the adolescent was the son of the high Islamist position Ayman al Yazouri.

«Hoyo Films told us that they paid the boy’s mother, through his sister’s bank account, a limited sum of money for the narrative. Although Hoyo Films has assured us that no payments were made to Hamas or affiliates, the BBC is looking for additional guarantees on the program budget and will carry out a complete audit of the expenses, ”he added.

The chain has no plans to broadcast the program on television or on its platform «in its current form,» said the spokesman.

More than 500 media figures criticized on Wednesday the withdrawal of the documentary, including actor Riz Ahmed or the presenter and former soccer player Gary Lineker, considering it a «censorship with political motifs.»

In a press conference at the White House with the president of the United States, Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said he was «worried» about the broadcast.

«The program in question has worried me,» said Starmer, who added that his executive has already held a meeting with the chain.