The BBC has censured its own staff for calling Hamas a “terror group”.

The corporation’s executive complaints unit (ECU) ruled it was wrong for one of its presenters to call the Islamists a “terror group” in a broadcast on June 15.

It said that its rolling news channel had strayed from editorial guidelines by using the phrase.

The ECU said the BBC did not brand organisations as “terror” or “terrorist” groups for reasons of “due accuracy and impartiality” and instead reports that they are designated as such by third parties.

The incident was “reported to the management of BBC News and discussed with the editorial team responsible”, the body added.

The ruling comes after a lengthy debate over how the BBC characterises Hamas.

Following the Oct 7 attacks on Israel, Rishi Sunak, the then prime minister, called on the broadcaster to brand Hamas a terror group, which it had refused to do in line with its guidelines.

“This is not a time for equivocation, we should call it out for what it is,” Mr Sunak said.

These sentiments were echoed by Lord Cameron, the then foreign secretary, who said: “Maybe it’s a moment actually for the BBC to ask itself again, shall we describe these people as terrorists? They are terrorists.”