Israel army demands BBC apologise for questioning its 'evidence'

Israeli army spokesman Peter Lerner has asked the BBC to apologise for questioning the army’s “evidence” of a Hamas presence at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

Lerner posted CCTV footage from X, along with a verbal description of “weapons, communication equipment, RPGS, [and a] Toyota pickup laden with weapons” which he claimed the Israeli army had found in the hospital.

“Will BBCWorld apologise? Will BowenBBC say I was wrong?” he asked.

#Breaking @IDF reveals CCTV as #Hamas terrorists take hostages into #AlShifaHospital.
Also revealed today: 50 meter tunnel and blast door UNDER the hospital.
Also revealed since the operation at the hospital began: weapons, communication equipment, RPGS, Toyota pickup laden… pic.twitter.com/DkXN0dPQP9

— Lt. Col. (R) Peter Lerner (@LTCPeterLerner) November 19, 2023

In an article published on Saturday, BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen questioned the evidence presented by the Israeli army that Al-Shifa Hospital had been used as Hamas’ “headquarters”.

He also criticised the army’s restrictions on foreign journalists reporting from Al-Shifa saying that “there is no independent scrutiny inside the hospital; journalists cannot move freely into Gaza, and any who are reporting from the site are working under the aegis of the Israeli military.”

The BBC has reported that Israeli occupation forces have tampered with alleged “evidence” at Al-Shifa before allowing reporters to enter.

BOMBSHELL FROM THE BBC: Israel tampered with evidence, altered the video, lied to the public, produced zero evidence that Al Shifa was Hamas HQ and is moving weapons around to show them as “found” at a specific places.

When the BBC calls you out, you know you're in the gutter. pic.twitter.com/VnNgaV8XZS

— Khalissee (@Kahlissee) November 17, 2023

READ: ‘BBC Verify’ displays its analysis refuting Israeli claims against Al-Shifa hospital