In Hamas uniform: what was revealed about the 'journalists' from the BBC list

The BBC is reviewing its list of journalists killed in Gaza after it emerged that dozens of people on it may have been linked to Hamas. Of the 180 Palestinians on the list, 53 had ties to terrorist organizations. The independent CPJ removed 12 names, acknowledging that these individuals were not journalists. Specific examples are cited: Abdullah Darwish, Yaqoub al-Barsh, Rizq Abu Shakian. The BBC stated it is reviewing the data.

The BBC is reviewing its list of journalists killed in Gaza after it emerged that dozens of people on it may have been linked to Hamas and other terrorist organizations. The BBC Arabic service published a list that included over 180 Palestinians. According to data from The Telegraph, 53 people on this list had ties to terrorist organizations. Ten of them were mentioned as journalists on the BBC's English-language website or in television programs, while another 43 appeared only in Arabic service materials. The independent Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) removed 12 names from its roster, acknowledging that these individuals were not journalists. Specific examples are cited: Abdullah Darwish, whom BBC Arabic called a photographer for Al-Aqsa TV, was pictured wearing a Hamas green headband and participated in the October 7 attack. Yaqoub al-Barsh, presented as the general director of Namaa Radio, was identified as a member of the Al-Qassam Brigades. Rizq Abu Shakian, named a journalist for Palestine Now, was filmed in Hamas military uniform holding a rifle. The BBC stated it is reviewing the data in light of CPJ updates from June 2026. The publication also recalls previous scandals surrounding BBC Arabic, including the documentary 'Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone,' which was deemed misleading.