After the BBC implied Israel starved a Gazan cancer patient, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee mocked the network’s bias, recalling its repeated false reports since October 7.
The BBC is under fire yet again for its reporting on the war in Gaza—this time from US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who ridiculed the network for suggesting that Israel was responsible for the death of a Palestinian woman suffering from cancer.
The controversy began after the IDF rebutted BBC claims that 20-year-old Marah Abu Zohry—who had been flown to Italy for treatment—died from malnutrition. In reality, Zohry was battling leukemia, and doctors in Pisa confirmed her death followed a sudden respiratory and cardiac collapse during treatment.
British journalist Melanie Phillips blasted the BBC for its framing, writing:
“Israel helps evacuate cancer sufferer from Gaza to Italy. She dies there of leukemia. BBC suggests Israel starved her to death. To the BBC, even cancer is Israel’s fault.”
Huckabee amplified Phillips’ critique on X, adding his own biting sarcasm:
“Will the BBC retract the story and apologize? Of course. The same day a Baskin Robbins opens a franchise in hell.”
Although the BBC later amended its article to include Israel’s explanation, the damage was already done.
📺 A Pattern of Bias
This is far from the first time the BBC has faced outrage for its coverage of Israel:
- Nov 2023: Forced to apologize after falsely claiming IDF forces targeted medical teams at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital.
- Oct 2023: Wrongly blamed Israel for the Gaza hospital explosion later proven to be caused by an Islamic Jihad rocket.
- 2024: Embarrassed after it emerged that its documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone” used the son of a senior Hamas official as a narrator. Even UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer admitted “concern.”
- Earlier this year: Presenter Nicky Shiller caused outrage by referring to released Israeli hostages as “prisoners”—the same term used for Hamas terrorists in Israeli jails.
For critics, Huckabee’s jab reflects growing frustration with what they see as a systematic anti-Israel bias at the BBC. Despite occasional apologies, each new controversy reinforces a narrative of mistrust.
As Huckabee made clear, don’t expect the BBC to change course anytime soon.
