BBC refers to Israeli hostages as ‘prisoners,’ then apologizes

The BBC issues apology after a news anchor referred to three Israeli men held captive by the Hamas terror organization for over a year as “prisoners.”

By World Israel News Staff

The BBC issued an apology after it referred to three Israeli captives taken hostage by Hamas terrorists during the invasion of October 7 as “prisoners.”

On Friday, Hamas identified the three men – two Israelis and one dual American-Israeli citizen – set to be freed the next day in exchange for the release of 90 jailed Palestinian terrorists, saying that 35-year-old Yarden Bibas, 54-year-old Ofer Kalderon, and 65-year-old Keith Siegel would be the next three captives returned to Israel as part of the ongoing hostage deal.

Later that day, BBC News anchor Nicky Schiller called the three captives “Israeli prisoners.”

“Confirmation in the last couple of hours, first from Hamas, that three Israeli prisoners, all men this time, will be released tomorrow, and then we will see 90 Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails,” Schiller said.

Hours later, however, the broadcaster issued a correction and an apology for Schiller’s wording.

“Earlier today on BBC News we reported on the names of those three Israeli hostages who are due to be freed tomorrow,” the BBC said.

“At one point during the coverage, we mistakenly called the hostages “prisoners,” and we would like to apologize.”

Friday’s apology is the latest instance of the British news network walking backing reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

A month after the October 7 massacre , the BBC issued an apology after an anchor misquoted from a Reuters report, claiming that Israeli soldiers had targeted medical staff and Arabic speakers during a raid of a Gaza hospital used by Hamas forces for terrorist operations.

In January 2024, the BBC apologized after a radio report a month earlier claimed IDF forces had carried out “summary executions” of Gazans.

Last May, the BBC apologized after one of its reporters incorrectly claimed on air that Tel Aviv is the capital city of Israel.

“The events of the weekend, with the close military cooperation involved, have served to bring Washington and Tel Aviv closer together,” Gary O’Donoghue said on BBC Radio 4.