BBC forced to apologise after falsely reporting Israeli troops were ‘targeting medical teams’ in Gaza hospital raid

THE BBC has been forced to apologise after incorrectly reporting that Israeli troops were “targeting” doctors. The broadcasting blunder saw Israeli troops accused of “targeting medical teams and Arab speakers” inside the battleground of Gaza’s besieged Al Shifa hospital. The moment BBC newsreader misquotes a report and incorrectly accuses the IDF of targeting medical teams and Arab speakers ReutersIsrael called the al Shifa hospital in Gaza the ‘beating heart’ of Hamas as they launched their ‘targeted’ raid last night[/caption] ReutersSmokey footage inside the hospital appears to show patients being moved away from the fighting[/caption] Early this morning, BBC newsreader Monica Miller misquoted a report relating to Israeli special forces ongoing raid inside Gaza’s largest hospital. On air, she said: “We are hearing from Reuters that Israel say its forces are carrying out an operation against Hamas in Gaza’s al Shifa hospital. “And they are targeting people including medical teams as well as Arab speakers.” Miller then repeats the false claim once more, stating Israel is “targeting Arab speakers as well as some of the medical staff there”. Reuters had actually been quoting from an IDF statement that Arab speakers and medical teams were among their forces that entered the hospital. The statement read: “The IDF forces include medical teams and Arabic speakers, who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment, with the intent that no harm is caused to civilians.” BBC’s blunder sparked fury at the Board of Deputies for Jewish People who demanded an immediate apology. They announced they were “appalled” by the mistake that showed “a staggering lack of care when reporting on a highly volatile situation”. “Incidents like this make a mockery of the BBC’s oft-stated dedication to professionalism and impartiality,” they added in a statement. The BBC was forced to swiftly correct the statements and offer up an apology this morning. The broadcaster said: “As BBC News covered initial reports that Israeli forces had entered Gaza’s main hospital, we said that ‘medical teams and Arab speakers’ were being targeted. “This was incorrect and misquoted a Reuters report. We should have said IDF forces included medical teams and Arabic speakers for this operation. “So we apologise for this error, which fell below our usual editorial standards. The correct version of events was broadcast minutes later and we apologised for the mistake on air later in the morning.” It comes as thousands of patients, doctors and displaced Palestinians are feared to be caught in the crossfire after Israel stormed al Shifa hospital to hunt down Hamas terrorists. Last night, Israel launched what they called a “precise and targeted” raid that was a “military necessity” to root out Hamas. A witness told the BBC that they saw tanks and hundreds of commandos advance on the medical facility. The IDF said the operation continued this morning as they engaged in gun battles against militants and found weapons inside the medical complex. For days, Israeli troops have surrounded the hospital convinced that Hamas leaders are hiding in a bunker below and using patients as human shields. In turn, the hospital has become a symbol of the widespread suffering of Palestinian civilians as patients, including newborns, have been dying from dwindling supplies and no electricity. The World Health Organisation previously warned that the hospital was becoming a “cemetery” as dead bodies pile up inside and outside. Now, as Israeli troops make the site their primary target in the mission to control northern Gaza – fears are increasingly growing for those trapped inside the battleground. The UN today heavily denounced Israel’s raid inside al Shifa, stating: “Hospitals are not battlegrounds”. “I’m appalled by reports of military raids in Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza,” Martin Griffiths, the UN’s chief of humanitarian affairs said. “The protection of newborns, patients, medical staff and all civilians must override all other concerns.” Israeli soldiers are attempting to eliminate Hamas terrorists they believe are hiding in the hospital ReutersSmokey footage from inside the hospital after Israel launched their attack[/caption] ReutersNewborns at al Shifa were transferred from incubators to a single bed after the hospital ran out of fuel[/caption] AFPHuge clouds of dust and smoke soar above Gaza following recent Israeli strikes[/caption]