BBC News coverage of terrorism in Israel

The Israel Security Agency’s report on terror attacks (Hebrew) during August 2018 shows that throughout the month a total of 206 incidents took place: 64 in Judea & Samaria, 12 in Jerusalem, one inside the ‘green line’ and 129 in the Gaza Strip sector.

In Judea & Samaria and Jerusalem the agency recorded 66 attacks with petrol bombs (eleven of which were in Jerusalem), six attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), three arson attacks and one stabbing attack.

Attacks recorded in the Gaza Strip sector included 34 attacks with petrol bombs, two shooting attacks and three sniper shooting attacks, 4 attacks using IEDs and two grenade attacks. 68 separate incidents of rocket fire and 15 separate incidents of mortar fire were recorded, with 212 launches.

Five people – four civilians and one member of the security forces – were wounded in attacks that took place during August. A soldier was wounded in a petrol bomb attack on August 6^th. Two civilians were wounded in rocket attacks on August 8^th and two more – one a foreign national – the following day.

BBC News website coverage of terrorism throughout August consisted of two reports:

August 7^th: Israeli tank fire kills two Hamas militants in Gaza (discussed here)

August 9^th: Gaza air strikes ‘kill woman and child’ after rockets hit Israel (discussed here and here)

Those reports mention the rocket and mortar attacks that took place on August 8^th and 9^th – and the resulting injuries – as well as two shooting incidents in the Gaza Strip sector. None of the additional incidents received any BBC news website coverage.

At best, therefore, it can be said that BBC News website audiences saw coverage of 41% of the terror attacks (mostly missile fire) which took place during August.

Since the beginning of 2018 the BBC has reported 22% of the terror attacks that have taken place and 87.5% of the resulting fatalities.