The BBC's headline initially called Muhammad Bhar's killing a 'lonely death', despite him being attacked by a dog and left to die by the Israeli army.

A BBC report published on Tuesday on the killing of a disabled Palestinian man by Israel has drawn intense backlash, following what activists described as a “misleading headline” and “dehumanisation of Palestinians” amid the war in Gaza.

The British public broadcaster’s news website initially ran the story with the headline “The lonely death of Gaza man with Down’s syndrome” — omitting mention of the fact that 24-year-old Muhammad Bhar was left to die by the Israeli army after a combat dog was violently set on him.

In the report, written by veteran Irish journalist Fergal Keane, the attack was not mentioned until the 16th paragraph — almost halfway through the piece.