The British broadcaster engaged in a "serious breach" of media regulations by failing to disclose that the presenter of a programme about the Gaza conflict was the offspring of a Hamas administrator, as determined by UK media regulator Ofcom.
An inquiry by the media regulator into Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone has found that the film was "materially misleading".
The head of the BBC had already issued an apology, saying there had been "a significant failing in relation to truthfulness".
The regulator has instructed the broadcaster to broadcast a prime-time declaration about its decisions.
"Given this constitutes a major infringement of our regulations, we are directing the corporation to air a announcement of our findings against it on the BBC's second channel at 9pm, with a schedule to be finalised," the statement read.
The watchdog's statement stated: "The inquiry we conducted concluded that the programme's lack of disclosure that the voice's male guardian held a post in the Hamas-run government was materially misleading.
"Consequently that the audience did not have critical information which may have been very significant to their evaluation of the presenter and the information he presented.
"Credibility is at the core of the bond between a broadcaster and its audience, particularly for a state-funded media outlet such as the BBC.
"This failing had the potential to undermine the significantly high levels of confidence that the public would have placed in a factual film from the broadcaster about the Gaza conflict."
The documentary was removed from the online platform in February after the presenter's family links emerged, and in July an broadcaster's internal assessment concluded it infringed the corporation's editorial guidelines on factual correctness.
A BBC spokesperson said: "The regulator's decision is in line with the results of the internal assessment, that there was a significant failing in the documentary in relation to the BBC's Editorial Guidelines on accuracy, which aligns with Rule 2.2 of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code.
"We expressed regret for this and we agree with Ofcom's decision in full. We will adhere to the directive as soon as the timing and language are finalised."
Eva de Vries is a passionate book lover and local writer from Eindhoven.
