The BBC has issued a substantial payout and a formal apology to an Israeli family after a film crew entered and filmed inside their destroyed home without permission in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Unauthorised Entry and Filming
According to a report by Jewish News, a BBC team led by its senior international correspondent, Jeremy Bowen, entered the property belonging to the Horenstein family in the village of Netiv HaAsara. This occurred in the days immediately following the devastating assault on October 7, 2023.
The crew proceeded to film inside the badly damaged home, capturing highly personal items including photographs of the family's children. This intrusion happened at a deeply traumatic time when many of the family's friends and relatives were still unaware of whether they had survived the attack.
Family's Harrowing Ordeal and Response
Tzeela Horenstein recounted how Hamas terrorists attacked the village early that morning and threw a grenade at her husband, Simon. She stated that she, her husband, and their two young children survived only because their front door twisted and jammed when the attackers tried to blow it open with explosives.
Speaking to Jewish News, Mrs Horenstein powerfully articulated the family's distress at the BBC's subsequent actions. "Not only did terrorists break into our home and try to murder us, but then the BBC crew entered again, this time with a camera as a weapon, without permission or consent," she said.
She described the filming as "another intrusion into our lives," adding, "We felt that everything that was still under our control had been taken from us. Even in times of war there are limits, and when a media outlet crosses them, it must be held responsible."
Compensation and Regulatory Context
Following the initiation of legal proceedings in Israel, BBC News issued a written apology and paid the Horenstein family £28,000 in compensation.
A BBC spokesperson stated: "While we do not generally comment on specific legal issues, we are pleased to have reached an agreement in this case."
This incident is not the first time the corporation has faced scrutiny over its coverage related to the conflict. Last year, Ofcom sanctioned the BBC for breaching the Broadcasting Code in its documentary 'Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone' after it failed to disclose a narrator's links to Hamas.
The October 7 attack, led by Hamas militants, resulted in the abduction of 251 people and the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, most of whom were civilians.
