The BBC has issued an apology and agreed to pay £28,000 in compensation to an Israeli family for “intruding” in their home in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack.
Jeremy Bowen, the corporation’s international editor and his crew were found to have filmed in the residence without permission after the family were forced to flee.
The Horenstein family survived the assault on Netiv HaAsara, a small community near the Gaza border where 17 residents lost their lives.
Shortly after the atrocity, the BBC team entered their devastated property and recorded footage inside, including personal photographs of their children.
"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," Tzeela Horenstein recalled.
"It was another intrusion into our lives. We felt that everything that was still under our control had been taken from us."
Mrs Horenstein stumbled upon the BBC report purely by accident, at a time when many relatives and friends remained unaware whether they had survived a near-death encounter with Hamas militants.
"We were already heartbroken, and this was yet another intrusion into our lives. Even in times of war there are limits, and when a media outlet crosses them, it must be held responsible," she continued.
The BBC has apologised and paid an Israeli family after 'intruding' in their home (not pictured) after October 7
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Ori Eldar, the lawyer who represented the Horenstein family, said the settlement established a legal precedent in Israel.
"The media does very important work, but it must also show sensitivity, especially in areas stricken by trauma. Freedom of the press is not unlimited," he said.
Mr Eldar argued the case could not be viewed in isolation from wider criticism of the BBC.
He said: "It is impossible to ignore the resignation of senior BBC officials close to the verdict, or the widespread feeling in Israel that the network is biased and does not reflect the full picture.
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Jeremy Bowen, the corporation’s international editor, and his crew were found to have filmed in the residence without permission
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"The BBC is not just a media outlet – it is a British public institution. Its level of responsibility, in my opinion, is higher than that of any other media organisation," he said.
Following the settlement, Joaquin Floto, the BBC's Middle East bureau chief, issued a written apology in Hebrew.
He wrote: "We wish to express our understanding of the distress you had following the filming of your home after the 7 October attack. We are of course sorry for this.
"Our entry into your home resulted from a good-faith mistake, as we believed consent had been given… The BBC had no intention to harm you or cause you discomfort."
The Horenstein’s house had been left vacant after the family were forced to flee during the harrowing events of October 7.
At 6:29 am, Hamas militants breached Netiv HaAsara. After killing their neighbours, the attackers turned their attention to the Horenstein home.
Mr Simon Horenstein was outside when a grenade was hurled in his direction, though he managed to flee and reach the family's shelter.
"For hours, the terrorists tried to capture us. We were physically struggling over the door handle while our two young children were hiding under the bed," his wife said.
The militants fixed an explosive device to the shelter door and set it off. The blast caused the door to twist and jam shut.
It comes amid a long string of bias scandals hitting the BBC
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"That is what saved us," Mrs Horenstein told Jewish News.
The apology BBC’s apology came amid a series of controversies that have engulfed the corporation over allegations of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias.
An internal memo leaked to the press, which documented bias in the BBC's coverage of the Gaza conflict, prompted the resignations of director-general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness.
The broadcaster also faced criticism over a documentary titled Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, which featured the son of a Hamas official without disclosing his identity to viewers. The programme was subsequently removed from BBC iPlayer.
A BBC spokesman said: "While we do not generally comment on specific legal issues we are pleased to have reached an agreement in this case."
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