The BBC has apologized for a staff email that referred to the massacre of October 7 as an ‘escalation’, according to a report by The Telegraph on Tuesday.
The email was sent to BBC staff in recognition of the second anniversary of the terror attacks. It was addressed after staff members who received it raised concerns about the phrasing.
The email was part of a regular series of updates sent by the BBC Audiences, which is responsible for audience research and advising staff on viewer feedback.
The email read, “As we reach the two-year anniversary of the escalations in the Israel-Gaza conflict, we asked UK audiences what they want and need from news coverage moving forward.” The report went on to say that the email, in place of a picture of Israeli victims of the Hamas attack, included an image of Palestinian women and children standing amongst the rubble of fallen Gaza buildings.
The Telegraph reported that a senior BBC news presenter stated it was a junior member of staff who wrote the email. He said, “I don’t think the people who wrote that are evil; I think they just don’t understand anything about the modern world.”
“To use a picture of Palestinian suffering when you are marking the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks: how does that get signed off? It just epitomises everything the BBC is having to grapple with internally,” he concluded.
Danny Cohen, former director of BBC television, commented to The Telegraph, “This is shocking but not surprising. It is another example of the everyday institutional bias at the BBC.”
“To call the 7 October terrorist massacre an ‘escalation’ is deeply offensive. It is the kind of language Hamas might use,” he added.
“One might also assume that on this day, the picture used by the BBC would focus on Jewish victims of the October 7 pogrom. But the BBC’s instinctive bias meant that this was not the case, even on this day of mourning.”
A BBC source defended the choice of photo accompanying the email to The Telegraph, saying it was illustrated with a picture of Gaza because it covered current audience attitudes to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Additionally, the email included a link to a more detailed piece discussing the attacks.
What did the email say?
The email read, “On October 7, 2023, the conflict between Palestine and Israel reached a new escalation when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking over 200 hostages.
“In response, Israel launched a prolonged military campaign in Gaza, resulting in widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis. Over the following months, ceasefire efforts stalled, global pressure intensified, and civilian casualties continued to rise, sparking worldwide protests and diplomatic tensions.’
The letter continued, saying, “In September 2025, the UK government announced its formal recognition of the State of Palestine, shortly before the two-year anniversary of the Hamas attack.”
“This moment presents both a challenge and an opportunity for BBC journalists in how they cover the conflict for our audiences.”
After the email was sent, several staff members complained about the particular wording and picture choice. A BBC insider to The Telegraph said: “It is shocking that such a description of a one-sided atrocity is used in, of all things, a briefing about audience expectations from the BBC. It demonstrates - again - unconscious bias and terrible insensitivity towards Jewish staff.”
The BBC then issued the apology following the internal complaints, and a spokesman for the broadcaster said: “This internal staff email should have been worded differently and we’re sorry for any offence caused. We are editing it and will replace the text on our intranet.”
The email is the latest controversy amid a growing list of accusations against the BBC network of anti-Israel bias.
In February 2025, the BBC issued an apology after news anchor Nicky Schiller incorrectly referred to the three Israeli hostages who were released as "prisoners" on the air.
Also, in July, the network was widely criticized for its documentary ‘Gaza: How to Survive A War Zone’ when they failed to disclose that the narrator held a strong connection to Hamas, which breached editorial guidelines on accuracy.