Gaza: On April 23, 2025, English broadcaster and former footballer Gary Lineker challenged BBC presenter Amol Rajan in a televised interview about the broadcaster’s reporting on Israel’s campaign in Gaza.
Lineker argued that the BBC’s insistence on “impartiality” should not mean silence in the face of mass suffering, declaring “the mass murder of thousands of children is probably something that we should have a little opinion on” as he pressed Rajan on why the BBC had not given Gaza the same factual scrutiny it applies to other conflicts
The exchange, captured in a video widely circulated on social media, saw Lineker point out that while context is important, journalism’s core duty is to report observable facts—“if it’s raining outside, you don’t need someone’s opinion to tell you it isn’t”
Lineker’s critique comes amid intense scrutiny of the BBC’s handling of Gaza, including its temporary removal of a documentary and ongoing debates over editorial balance. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 51,305 Palestinians have been killed and 117,096 wounded since October 2023, figures that underscore the conflict’s heavy civilian toll
Humanitarian agencies report that weeks of an Israeli aid blockade have left hospitals overwhelmed and basic supplies exhausted, creating what the UN describes as Gaza’s worst crisis since the war began
The intensity of the discussion reflects growing calls for media outlets to reckon with both the facts on the ground and their own impartiality guidelines when covering human tragedies.
