BBC Rejects White House Claims Over Gaza Coverage

Tone & Political Bias: Moderately Left-Leaning

Why: The article presents strong support for the BBC’s defense of its reporting, critiques White House and Israeli military narratives, and emphasizes press freedom and journalistic integrity.

BBC Pushes Back on U.S. Criticism

The BBC has issued a firm response to accusations made by the White House regarding its coverage of a recent deadly incident near an aid distribution site in Rafah, Gaza. The broadcaster denied removing any stories or relying solely on Hamas sources for casualty figures.

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the BBC of spreading misinformation and claimed the network had taken down a report after failing to verify its content. The BBC responded with a statement calling these claims “completely wrong.”

“We did not remove any story and we stand by our journalism,” the statement said.

Dispute Over Casualty Reporting

Leavitt's criticism focused on the BBC's changing casualty figures in headlines. The broadcaster clarified that the updates were based on evolving information throughout the day and were appropriately attributed to different sources.

The first report cited 15 dead, sourced from medics.
Later updated to 31 killed, based on the Hamas-run health ministry.
Final update used the Red Cross statement: “at least 21” deaths at a field hospital.

The BBC emphasized this process as standard in fast-moving news events.

Conflicting Accounts from Rafah

There are differing narratives about what occurred on Sunday near the aid site:

Civilians, NGOs, and health officials reported that people were shot while waiting for food.
The Israeli military (IDF) denied these claims, asserting no fire was directed at civilians.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — a U.S. and Israeli-backed group overseeing aid — labeled the shooting reports as “outright fabrications.”

Independent verification remains difficult. International journalists are barred from entering Gaza, including BBC reporters.

Viral Video Controversy

Leavitt also pointed to a BBC Verify report on a viral video supposedly showing the incident. She claimed the BBC removed the report after failing to find evidence.

The BBC clarified:

The video was not broadcast on any BBC News channels.
BBC Verify found the footage was not linked to the Rafah aid site.
The report was never part of the main coverage.

“Conflating these two stories is simply misleading,” the BBC said.

Appeal for Press Access

The BBC used the occasion to highlight the lack of international media access in Gaza and called for support from the White House in securing press freedom.

“It is vital to bring people the truth about what is happening in Gaza,” the broadcaster stated.“We would welcome the support of the White House in our call for immediate access.”

Ongoing War and Civilian Toll

The dispute comes amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza:

October 7, 2023: Hamas launched a cross-border attack that killed around 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 251 hostages.
In response, Israel began a military campaign that has killed at least 54,470 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Since March 18, 2025, more than 4,200 additional deaths have been reported as Israel resumed operations.

On Tuesday, a similar aid site incident occurred. Local officials claimed Israeli forces shot civilians collecting food, killing at least 27. The IDF said it fired only at individuals approaching them from non-designated routes and labeled them “suspects.”