Social media users have accused several of the panellists that featured on Thursday’s episode of BBC Question Time of a pro-Israel bias, following their responses to a question about Israel’s war on Gaza.

The debate programme included a question from a member of the audience who asked whether the “UK government (is) ignoring genocide in Gaza.”

Social media users underlined that the panellists, which included Labour Cabinet minister Peter Kyle, Conservative MP Nigel Huddleston, tech entrepreneur Alex Depledge, and columnist and broadcaster Sonia Sodha, echoed variations of the view that Israel has a “right to defend itself.”

Online reactions described the responses as “both-siding the genocide” and accused the panel of being “absolutely despicable” and repeating “Israeli propaganda.”