Crowds chanted "BBC, shame on you" by New Broadcasting House near Oxford Circus during a protest organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop and War and the CND.

It came as Israeli forces continue bombing the Gaza Strip as the regime's eight-day conflict with Hamas saw the Palestinian death toll approach 200.

In a statement posted online ahead of the demonstration, organizers said: "As a publicly funded broadcaster the BBC is duty-bound to provide balanced reporting without bias.

"Once again Gaza is under massive aerial bombardment from Israeli warplanes and drones, and, once again, the BBC’s reporting of these assaults is entirely devoid of context or background."

A BBC spokesperson said: “BBC News reports widely and extensively across TV, radio and online, on many different aspects of this ongoing and complex conflict. Our role is to explain what is happening and why and we endeavor to reflect a range of voices, amid deeply held views. We are committed to continuing to report and analyze sometimes fast moving events in an accurate, fair and balanced way.”

Protesters also gathered signatures for an open letter to the Scottish government, urging a boycott against Israel.

Over the last few days, similar protests have been held all over the world to show solidarity with the people of Gaza.

BA/BA