Overview

• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the BBC of taking Hamas’s claims as “total truth” when reporting 21 to 31 fatalities at a Gaza aid distribution center
• BBC analysis editor Ros Atkins countered that the broadcaster updated its coverage continuously, attributing casualty figures to multiple sources including medics, the Red Cross, and a Hamas-run health ministry
• A BBC spokesperson affirmed that no articles were removed, emphasizing that all versions remained online with accurate attributions and corrections
• BBC Verify described the Gaza aid incident as “extremely complicated” and highlighted challenges due to conflicting reports and restricted access for international journalists
• Deborah Turness, BBC News chief, praised staff resilience in a company-wide memo while veteran journalist Jeremy Bowen defended the BBC’s reporting integrity