ITV News has failed to accurately represent the facts of the events in Israel and Palestine and meet their obligations under Section 5 of the Broadcasting Code.
Section 5 – Duty to ensure that news, in whatever form, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.
ITV News’ presentation of the start of the war as the Hamas attack is inaccurate. This conflict is the product of the illegal Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank and system of Apartheid (confirmed by Amnesty & HRW). Prior to 7 October, 2023 was one of the most deadly years for Palestinians, with over 257 Palestinian civilian deaths including 44 children (source: UN).
ITV News has failed to adequately report the war crimes committed by Israel during these events, including collective punishment through blocking access to water, food, and electricity, the use of illegal weaponry (white phosphorous) and the forced displacement of 1.1 million civilians.
One glaring issue in the coverage is the discrepancy in reporting casualties. While ITV News rightly emphasizes the tragic deaths of Israeli children, it fails to adequately and equally highlight the 1,000+ Palestinian children killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
In conclusion, ITV News’ failure to accurately and impartially represent the facts is a significant breach of sections 2 & 5 of the Broadcasting Code. This not only misinforms the public but has the potential to incite violence against Palestinian communities and their supporters in the UK.
To address these concerns, ITV News and Ofcom must:
