UK's Channel 4 to air Gaza medics documentary rejected by BBC

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
30 Jun 2025 20:26
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Channel 4 will broadcast Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, a documentary on medics in Gaza originally commissioned by the BBC but dropped over alleged impartiality concerns.

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Palestinian paramedics transport the body of a colleague, one of three paramedics killed the previous day by Israeli bombardment on the Tuffah neighbourhood, during the funeral at the Sheikh Radwan Clinic in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood of Gaza City, on June 10, 2025 (AFP)

The UK's Channel 4 has announced it will broadcast Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, a documentary that was originally commissioned by the BBC but ultimately shelved due to concerns about alleged impartiality, Anadolu Agency reported.

The film, produced by independent company Basement Films, explores the experiences of Palestinian medics during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Gaza: Doctors Under Attack features first-hand testimonies from Palestinian healthcare workers on the frontlines. The film investigates attacks on hospitals and medical facilities by the Israeli occupation military.

The BBC, which commissioned the film over a year ago, delayed its release pending an internal review of another program concerning the region.

It later decided not to air the documentary, citing fears it could create "a perception of partiality that would not meet the high standards that the public rightly expect."

'Brave and fearless journalism'

The one-off documentary is scheduled to air on Channel 4 at 10 pm on Wednesday, July 2. The broadcaster stated that the film has been "factchecked and compiled by Channel 4 to ensure it meets Channel 4 editorial standards and the Ofcom broadcasting code."

Louisa Compton, Channel 4’s head of news and current affairs, praised the film, calling it "a meticulously reported and important film examining evidence which supports allegations of grave breaches of international law by Israeli forces."

She emphasized that the film aligns with Channel 4’s commitment to "brave and fearless journalism."

The 'most difficult'

Basement Films, which previously produced two documentaries on Gaza following the October 7, 2023, incidents, described the making of this third installment as 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," the company said in a statement.