Were a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7th, 2023 linked to terrorist organizations?

Short answer: No reliable, independent evidence shows that a majority of Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023 were members of terrorist organizations.

What we know

•Independent press‑freedom groups (CPJ/RSF) still document the large bulk of those killed as journalists or media workers. As of September 30, 2026, CPJ reports 189 Palestinian journalists and media workers were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza (and 2 in Israeli detention), and it continues to exclude from its database any case where later evidence shows the person was actually fighting. After a months‑long audit in 2026, CPJ removed some names found to be combatants or non‑journalists, but it did not conclude that most of the dead were militants.[1]

•RSF has likewise corrected its lists when it could verify militant membership in specific cases (e.g., a small number later claimed by Hamas or Islamic Jihad), but these corrections account for only a limited subset, not a majority.[2]

What is being claimed—and by whom

•Israeli authorities and aligned research centers have asserted that more than half were militants—for example, the IDF recently published a list saying 170 people presented as Gaza “journalists” were actually members of Hamas, PIJ, or other groups, and the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center has claimed roughly 60% were members or affiliates. These are government/para‑government claims and have not been independently verified by neutral press‑freedom organizations.[3]

Legal/definitional point

•Under international humanitarian law, journalists are civilians unless they take direct part in hostilities; mere allegations of affiliation do not by themselves remove civilian protection. This is the standard CPJ and others apply when classifying cases.[4]

Bottom line: While a few cases have later been shown to involve militants and were removed by watchdogs, the “majority were terrorists” claim comes from Israeli military/intelligence sources and has not been corroborated by independent organizations that systematically track these killings.[5]

Citations (5)

1cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Journalist casualties during the Israel–Gaza war and related regional conflicts - Committee to Protect Journalists
Backs: “After a months‑long audit in 2026, CPJ removed some names found to be combatants or non‑journalists, but it did not conclude that most of the dead were militants.”
2rsf.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Gaza: RSF files its fourth complaint in a year with the ICC for Israel’s war crimes against journalists | RSF
Backs: “RSF has likewise corrected its lists when it could verify militant membership in specific cases (e.g., a small number later claimed by Hamas or Islamic Jihad), but these corrections account for only a limited subset, not a majority.”
3idf.ilGovernment
Background Does the IDF Target Journalists in Gaza? 170 Gazan Journalists Exposed as Terrorists | IDF
Backs: “These are government/para‑government claims and have not been independently verified by neutral press‑freedom organizations.”
4cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
UNSR outline - Palestine -April 2026
Backs: “This is the standard CPJ and others apply when classifying cases.”
5washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Rights group says some people it classified as journalists killed in Gaza were militants - The Washington Post
Backs: “While a few cases have later been shown to involve militants and were removed by watchdogs, the “majority were terrorists” claim comes from Israeli military/intelligence sources and has not been corroborated by independent organizations that systematically track these killings.”