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Gaza: Doctors Under Attack

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Gaza: Doctors Under Attack
Directed byKarim Shah
Produced by
  • Robert Macqueen
  • Jaber Badwan
  • Osama Al-Ashi
Edited by
  • Melanie Quigley
  • Andy Kemp
Production
company
Basement Films
Distributed byChannel 4
Release date
  • 2 July 2025 (2025-07-02) (United Kingdom)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Gaza: Doctors Under Attack is a 2025 British documentary film directed by Karim Shah. The film examines doctors and healthcare workers during the Gaza war, including the killing and alleged torture of healthcare workers and attacks on hospitals by the Israel Defense Forces.

Originally commissioned by the BBC under the title Gaza: Medics Under Fire, the documentary was dropped by the broadcaster following an internal review. It was later picked up by Channel 4, which aired it in July 2025.

The film received positive reviews, with The Guardian naming it one of the 50 best television shows of 2025. At the 2026 British Academy Television Awards, it won the Best Current Affairs award.

Release

Originally due to be broadcast in February 2025 by the BBC and cleared for broadcast, the film underwent an internal review by the BBC due to alleged politically sensitive material.[1][2][3][4] Over 600 prominent figures signed an open letter calling the delay "political suppression" and demanding the release of the film.[5][6]

In June 2025, the BBC announced that it would not air the documentary because of what it described as impartiality concerns, and announced it would instead transfer ownership of the film to its producers, Basement Films, allowing it to be released.[7]

On 28 June 2025, it was announced that Channel 4 would air the documentary on 2 July 2025.[8] The film was released globally on the same day by Zeteo.[9]

Reception

Stuart Heritage of The Guardian wrote that the film is a "work that demands to be seen."[10] The newspaper ranked it as one of the 50 best TV shows of 2025, describing it as "an essential document of our times".[11]

Accolades

At the 2026 British Academy Television Awards, Gaza: Doctors Under Attack won the Best Current Affairs award. During the acceptance speech, executive producer Ben de Pear criticised the BBC for dropping the documentary before its later broadcast by Channel 4.[12]

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
British Academy Television Awards 10 May 2026 Best Current Affairs Gaza: Doctors Under Attack Won [12]

See also

References

  1. ^ Conlan, Tara (22 May 2025). "Doctors and whistleblowers in delayed Gaza film threaten to pull out". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  2. ^ Conlan, Tara; Farber, Alex (4 May 2025). "BBC criticised for delaying documentary about Gaza doctors". The Times. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  3. ^ "BBC accused of censorship over Gaza medics documentary delay". The New Arab. 18 May 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  4. ^ "BBC Gaza documentary delay prompts withdrawal threats from doctors, whistleblowers". Arab News. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Susan Sarandon, Mike Leigh Among 600+ Signatories of Open Letter Demanding That BBC Air Delayed Gaza Medics Documentary". Variety. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  6. ^ Goldbart, Max (12 May 2025). "Susan Sarandon, Mike Leigh & Harriet Walter Sign Letter Urging BBC To Stop "Censorship Of Palestinian Voices" & Air 'Gaza: Medics Under Fire' Doc". Deadline. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  7. ^ McIntosh, Steven (20 June 2025). "BBC pulls Gaza medics documentary due to impartiality concerns". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  8. ^ Roper, Kerri-Ann (28 June 2025). "Channel 4 to air BBC-commissioned documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack". London Standard. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  9. ^ Meek, Andy (2 July 2025). "Mehdi Hasan's Zeteo Picks Up Gaza Doctor Documentary The BBC Refused To Air". Forbes. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  10. ^ Heritage, Stuart (2 July 2025). "Gaza: Doctors Under Attack review – this crucial film is the stuff of nightmares. But the world needs to see it". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  11. ^ "The 50 best TV shows of 2025". The Guardian. 2025-12-22. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  12. ^ a b Szalai, Georg (10 May 2026). "Gaza Doctors Doc Wins BAFTA TV Award, Team Calls Out BBC for Shelving Project: "We Refuse to Be Silenced and Censored"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
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