The BBC engaged in a "major breach" of broadcasting rules by failing to disclose that the voice of a film about the Gaza situation was the offspring of a Hamas official, according to British broadcasting authority Ofcom.
An investigation by the broadcasting watchdog into the programme Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone has concluded that the film was "substantially inaccurate".
The BBC's director general had already issued an apology, noting there had been "a significant failing in relation to truthfulness".
Ofcom has directed the corporation to transmit a peak-time statement about its conclusions.
"As this represents a major infringement of our regulations, we are directing the BBC to air a announcement of our determinations against it on the BBC's second channel at 21:00, with a timing to be confirmed," it said.
'Risk to Undermine Trust'
The regulator's statement said: "The inquiry we conducted concluded that the film's failure to disclose that the voice's parent held a position in the Hamas-administered authority was significantly deceptive.
"Consequently that the audience did not have essential details which may have been extremely pertinent to their judgment of the presenter and the information he provided.
"Trust is at the heart of the connection between a television network and its viewers, especially for a state-funded media outlet such as the British Broadcasting Corporation.
"This failing had the possibility to undermine the exceptionally strong amounts of credibility that viewers would have invested in a factual film from the broadcaster about the Gaza conflict."
The film was removed from iPlayer in the month of February after the boy's personal associations emerged, and in the month of July an broadcaster's internal assessment determined it infringed the organization's editorial guidelines on truthfulness.
A representative for the broadcaster stated: "The Ofcom ruling is in agreement with the findings of the internal assessment, that there was a major oversight in the documentary in relation to the corporation's content standards on accuracy, which corresponds to clause 2.2 of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code.
"We expressed regret for this and we agree with Ofcom's decision in its entirety. We will comply with the penalty as soon as the timing and wording are confirmed."
