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BBC reaches settlement with Israeli survivors
The BBC has resolved a dispute with an Israeli family whose home was entered and filmed without consent by a news crew in the aftermath of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks. The corporation confirmed an agreement was reached but did not disclose details of the settlement.
Unauthorized entry and filming
A BBC News team, including International Editor Jeremy Bowen, accessed the damaged home of Tzeela and Simon Horenstein near the Gaza border shortly after the attacks. The crew filmed personal items, including photographs of the couple's children, while many relatives and friends remained unaware of the family's fate.
The incident was first reported by the Jewish News, which stated the BBC later paid the family £28,000 in compensation.
Family describes second violation
Tzeela Horenstein recounted how Hamas militants threw a grenade at her husband during the early-morning assault on their village, Netiv HaAsara. The couple and their two young children survived only because their front door jammed when attackers attempted to blast it open.
"Not only did terrorists break into our home and try to murder us, but then the BBC crew entered again, this time with a camera as a weapon, without permission or consent. It was another intrusion into our lives. We felt that everything that was still under our control had been taken from us."
Tzeela Horenstein
BBC response
A spokesperson for the BBC declined to comment on the specifics of the case but acknowledged the resolution. "While we do not generally comment on individual legal matters, we are pleased to have reached an agreement in this instance," the spokesperson said.
Context of the conflict
The war in Gaza erupted following the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages. Since then, Israeli military operations in Gaza have led to over 71,260 deaths, according to figures released by the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.
