The press regulator has come under fresh criticism after it ruled that describing Palestinian prisoners in Israel as “hostages” was acceptable.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) said a newspaper headline referring to the release of “hundreds of Palestinian hostages” by Israel did not breach its accuracy clause because the description of Palestinian prisoners, most of whom were Hamas terrorists, was “subjective”.

This was despite the fact that the BBC, which is covered by a different regulator, had to make an on-air correction after it too described Palestinian prisoners as hostages.

Ipso has already been accused this week of undermining free speech after it reprimanded The Telegraph for quoting statements previously made in Parliament.