Documentary on Gaza Doctors Faces Delays and Controversy

Doctors Under Attack" as "harrowing" and predicted it would "make people angry." Louise Compton, in a lengthy statement, explained the channel's decision to air the film, emphasizing its belief in presenting an impartial view of a subject that often sparks debate.

The film, however, gained notoriety before its broadcast for reasons unrelated to its content. It was originally commissioned by the BBC, not Channel 4. After months of delays, negotiations, and concerns about impartiality, the documentary nearly didn't air on British television at all.

The BBC had commissioned and paid for the documentary, with programming directors initially agreeing on its importance. A source close to the film revealed that despite internal emails acknowledging the film's significance, transmission dates were repeatedly postponed. The documentary team suspected the BBC was waiting for a report on a previous program, but the BBC denied this.

The BBC later apologized and stated that all films on Israel and Palestine would be delayed until after the report's release. However, a film on the West Bank was aired in May. Meanwhile, the documentary makers were eager to release their film, motivated by the urgency of the war crimes investigation and their duty to those who had helped tell the story.

Eventually, the BBC decided not to broadcast the documentary in its original form, proposing to use the interviews in different ways. The filmmakers were given the rights to the documentary, but this process involved weeks of intense negotiations, including a gag clause preventing them from discussing the BBC's actions.

On June 20, the BBC released a statement confirming it would not air the film, suggesting potential impartiality issues. The BBC stated that broadcasting the material risked creating a perception of partiality. The decision, according to sources, followed public comments from the filmmakers, including a statement that Israel had become a rogue state committing war crimes.

With the BBC dropping the film, the team was free to seek another platform. Channel 4 quickly stepped in to acquire the documentary. Compton stated that the film provides evidence of the denial of protection to Gaza's healthcare workers. She emphasized the importance of journalists telling stories that need to be heard, even if some would prefer they remain untold.

Ramita Navai, in a statement, said the team had worked with human rights groups and healthcare workers to gather evidence of Israeli war crimes. The interviews with Palestinian doctors, healthcare workers, and Israeli whistleblowers, she said, show that the targeting of healthcare workers is systematic and deliberate. She concluded that the film is important as a record of Israeli war crimes and for exposing the BBC's agenda regarding reporting on Israel and Palestine.