News - Middle East: The BBC is reportedly blocking the launch of a major national appeal to raise funds for humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella organization of 15 leading UK aid charities, is set to launch an appeal with the main national broadcasters to raise funds for humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza.

Major British channels have agreed to broadcast DEC’s appeal, but a spokesperson for the BBC said, “We are keeping the possibility of a pan-broadcaster appeal under review.”

According to sources at the DEC, the BBC and other aid agencies, the British public service broadcaster is “blocking” the appeal because the corporation fears a backlash from supporters of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.

The BBC, the sources said, has said the appeal did not meet all the established criteria for a national appeal.

In the meantime, a spokesperson for the DEC said the organization and its "stakeholders are deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza."