Complaint
A viewer complained the introduction to a report in the programme inaccurately said that “over 1200 Israelis” had been killed by Hamas on 7 October, arguing that the figure failed to take into account other factors including those killed by Israeli “friendly fire”. The ECU considered whether the programme met the standards for due accuracy set out in the Editorial Guidelines.  Â
Outcome
The report which followed the introduction complained of was not about the deaths on 7 October, but concerned the discovery in Gaza of the body of a 6 year old girl alongside those of her family and the rescue workers who had tried to save her.  In the ECU’s view the risk viewers would look to the introduction to this report for detailed analysis of the events of 7 October – a matter which has been covered in significant detail elsewhere – was limited.  Determining the exact number of Israelis killed by Hamas remains difficult because of the nature of the violence, the challenges of identifying corpses  and the unknown number of hostages who may have died.
Not Upheld