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The BBC engaged in a "major breach" of broadcasting rules by omitting to mention that the presenter of a film about Gaza was the child of a Hamas representative, as determined by regulatory body Ofcom.

An investigation by the media regulator into the programme Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone has concluded that the documentary was "substantially inaccurate".

The head of the BBC had earlier expressed regret, stating there had been "a major oversight in relation to truthfulness".

The authority has directed the broadcaster to air a peak-time announcement about its conclusions.

"Since this amounts to a serious breach of our rules, we are ordering the BBC to broadcast a statement of our findings against it on BBC Two at 9pm, with a schedule to be finalised," it said.

'Potential to Damage Trust'

The watchdog's statement declared: "Our probe determined that the film's lack of disclosure that the voice's father served in a role in the Hamas-controlled administration was substantially inaccurate.

"Consequently that the public did not have vital facts which may have been extremely pertinent to their evaluation of the presenter and the information he provided.

"Confidence is at the center of the bond between a broadcaster and its viewers, notably for a state-funded media outlet such as the BBC.

"This oversight had the potential to erode the exceptionally strong levels of credibility that viewers would have invested in a factual film from the broadcaster about the Gaza conflict."

The film was withdrawn from iPlayer in the month of February after the boy's personal associations came to light, and in July an broadcaster's internal assessment determined it violated the organization's editorial guidelines on accuracy.

A representative for the broadcaster stated: "The regulator's decision is in agreement with the results of the internal assessment, that there was a significant failing in the documentary in relation to the corporation's content standards on factual correctness, which reflects Rule 2.2 of the authority's broadcasting regulations.

"We issued an apology for this and we comply with the authority's determination in complete. We will follow the sanction as soon as the timing and language are confirmed."