Oxfam rebuts claims made in Channel 4 interview

Dr Halima Begum, former CEO of Oxfam GB, left Oxfam GB last December, after the organisation’s Board unanimously decided it had lost trust and confidence in the CEO following an independent leadership review.

In an interview aired on Channel 4 News last Friday, 13 February, Dr Begum made serious claims against Oxfam GB, including allegations of racism and antisemitism.

Oxfam is a globally respected humanitarian and development organisation with decades of experience delivering life-saving humanitarian support. The claims made in the broadcast represent one individual’s perspective and are strongly disputed by Oxfam GB as unsubstantiated and inaccurate. We have a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment and abuse of power in all areas of our work - including racism, antisemitism, sexism and homophobia. These standards apply across the delivery of our programmes worldwide.

Oxfam abhors antisemitism and vehemently condemns any antisemitic sentiments and hate-fueled violence. We unequivocally and categorically reject any suggestion of antisemitism which runs counter to Oxfam’s core humanitarian principles of impartiality and humanity. Oxfam’s institutional position on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory has been clear and consistent for decades. Our 2002 policy paper, Foundations for Peace: Urgent Steps to Address the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, remains a cornerstone of that position.

Oxfam advocates unequivocally for the protection of civilians under international law. We recognise that lasting protection requires a just and lawful political settlement grounded in human rights and international law for Palestinians and Israelis. This includes bringing an immediate end to Israel's unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, in line with international law. This principled, rights-based approach has guided our work consistently.

Decisions relating to the use of the term genocide to describe the depth and extent of the atrocities in Gaza were taken carefully and responsibly, following months of legal analysis, review of evidence, and assessment of conditions on the ground, in collaboration with colleagues across the Oxfam confederation and with the Oxfam GB Board.

The assessment on Israel's commission of genocide in Gaza was collectively informed by extensive research, including legal and policy analyses undertaken by Oxfam over the past two and a half years examining areas such as the use of starvation as a weapon of war, obstruction of humanitarian aid, destruction of water and wastewater infrastructure, and patterns of forced displacement. The term was adopted in July 2025, only after a thorough legal review and following widespread research and consideration of credible analysis by organisations and experts mandated to make such legal verdicts such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN Commission of Inquiry (CoI) and Amnesty International.