I am writing to lodge a formal complaint regarding a factually incorrect and misleading statement made during a recent Sky News broadcast in which it was claimed that Gaza has “never had an airport”.
This statement is categorically false.

Gaza International Airport officially opened in November 1998 and was internationally recognised. It operated with passenger flights until Israeli military forces rendered it inoperable. In December 2001, the Israeli military bombed the airport’s radar station and control tower, and in 2002 its runway was bulldozed, permanently destroying the facility.

To state that Gaza “has never had an airport” is not a minor slip of language. It erases a documented historical fact and misleads viewers into believing that the absence of civilian infrastructure in Gaza is inherent, rather than the result of deliberate military action.

Given Sky News’ obligations under broadcasting standards to ensure accuracy and due impartiality, this error is serious. It contributes to a broader pattern of reporting that removes context and obscures responsibility, particularly regarding Israel’s long-standing destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
I expect the following actions to be taken.

A public correction acknowledging that Gaza did in fact have an international airport. A clarification that the airport was destroyed by Israeli military action. And an internal review of editorial processes that allowed this false claim to be broadcast unchallenged.

Failure to correct the record risks misleading audiences and undermines trust in Sky News’ reporting on a deeply sensitive and contested issue.

I look forward to your response.