Gaza filmmakers criticise BBC after shelved documentary wins Bafta award

The makers of the documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack have criticised the BBC after the film won the Bafta TV Award in the current affairs category.

The documentary, which highlights firsthand accounts from Palestinian healthcare workers in Gaza, was originally commissioned by the BBC before the broadcaster decided not to air it. The film was later broadcast by Channel 4.

During the award ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday, members of the documentary team openly criticised the BBC while accepting the honour.

Executive producer Ben de Pear questioned the broadcaster during his speech, asking whether the BBC would also remove the team from the Bafta screening after refusing to show the documentary.

Criticism during acceptance speeches

Journalist and presenter Ramita Navai also condemned the broadcaster, saying the documentary contained findings from an investigation that the BBC had funded but refused to broadcast.

Navai said the filmmakers would not be “silenced and censored” and thanked Channel 4 for airing the documentary.

She added that more than 1,700 Palestinian doctors and healthcare workers had been killed during Israel’s war on Gaza, while hundreds more had reportedly been detained. Navai dedicated the award to Palestinian medical workers currently held in Israeli prisons.

BBC decision sparks controversy

The BBC had delayed the release of the documentary while reviewing another Gaza-related film titled Gaza: How To Survive a War Zone.

The broadcaster later said Gaza: Doctors Under Attack risked creating “a perception of partiality” that did not meet the organisation’s editorial standards.

The decision triggered criticism from media figures and campaigners, who accused the broadcaster of suppressing reporting related to Gaza.

Reports in British media said parts of Navai’s remarks were edited from the BBC’s delayed television broadcast of the Bafta ceremony after consultation with compliance teams.

Tribute to Gaza journalists

Speaking after the ceremony, de Pear praised journalists Jaber Badwan and Osana Al Ashi, who contributed footage from Gaza for the documentary.

He said the production team constantly worried about the safety of the journalists working on the ground during the conflict.