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

Whether a majority of Gazan journalists killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute.

The question centers on a disagreement between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli intelligence researchers on one side, and international press freedom organizations, media outlets, and human rights groups on the other. The two sides differ fundamentally on what constitutes a "link" or "affiliation" and dispute the credibility of the evidence presented.

The Case Supporting the Claim (Israeli and Watchdog Reports)

Proponents of the claim argue that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) systematically embed combatants and propagandists within the media. They point to several pieces of evidence:

1.The Meir Amit Center Study: In December 2025, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (an Israeli research group with close ties to Israeli military intelligence) published a study analyzing 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza. It concluded that roughly 60% (157 individuals) were members of or affiliated with terror groups—specifically, 104 with Hamas and 45 with PIJ. The center stated that at least 47 of these individuals were active military operatives, and others served in propaganda, security, or command roles.

2.Hamas and PIJ Obituaries: In mid-2026, Hamas and PIJ published official obituaries and "martyr" posters for several individuals previously listed by international watchdogs as civilian journalists, identifying them instead as combatants or active military operatives.

3.CPJ and IFJ Database Removals: Following the publication of these terrorist obituaries, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) initiated a comprehensive review of its database of killed media workers. In June 2026, CPJ removed 20 names after confirming some had participated in combat or worked directly for militant factions. (The International Federation of Journalists made similar database adjustments).

4.HonestReporting Audit: In August 2026, the pro-Israel media watchdog HonestReporting published an audit of CPJ's casualty list, alleging that more than half of the remaining names (at least 120 out of 209) had verified ties to terror groups, with 56 of them acting as "active, violent militants" at the time of their deaths.

5.IDF-Released Intelligence: The IDF has released captured documents, payroll rosters, and training logs to support its claims that high-profile Al Jazeera journalists—such as Ismail Al Ghoul, Hamza Al-Dahdouh, and Anas al-Sharif—were dual-hatted as rocket cell leaders, engineers, or Nukhba special forces.

The Case Against the Claim (Press Freedom and Media Defenses)

Opponents, including groups like CPJ, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and outlets like Al Jazeera, argue that Israel uses overly broad definitions of "terrorist" to justify killing journalists and block coverage of the war. Their key arguments include:

1.The Legal Definition of a Journalist vs. Combatant: Under international humanitarian law, journalists are considered civilians and are protected from targeted attacks unless they "directly participate in hostilities." Press freedom organizations emphasize that working for state-funded, local, or partisan media outlets (such as the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV network) does not strip a media worker of civilian status. CPJ’s criteria explicitly include journalists working for media organizations affiliated with militant groups, provided they are not actively engaged in combat or inciting imminent violence.

2.Disputed or Fabricated Evidence: Press watchdogs and independent media have repeatedly accused the IDF of presenting questionable, outdated, or outright fabricated evidence to justify targeting reporters. For example:

•When the IDF claimed Al Jazeera's Ismail Al Ghoul was a Hamas military operative, critics pointed out that the document provided by the IDF showed Al Ghoul receiving a military rank in 2007—when he would have been only 10 years old.

•An independent analysis by The Washington Post of drone footage taken by Hamza Al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya on the day they were killed (whom Israel claimed were terrorists operating a drone threat) found "no indications that either man was operating as anything other than a journalist that day."

3.A "Smear Campaign" to Preemptively Justify Deaths: Press freedom advocates assert that Israel's claims are part of a systematic "smear campaign". Because Israel has barred independent international journalists from entering the Gaza Strip, local Palestinian reporters are the only source of ground-level coverage. Watchdogs argue that labeling these reporters as terrorists serves to discredit their reporting and dull international outrage over their deaths.

Conclusion

Whether a "majority" of the Gazan journalists killed were linked to terrorist groups depends entirely on how "linked" is defined:

•If the definition includes any employment or affiliation with Hamas-funded media, local Gaza governmental public relations, or partisan networks, Israeli intelligence and media audits suggest that a majority (50% to 60%) fit this category.

•If the definition is strictly restricted under international humanitarian law to active, armed combatants directly participating in hostilities, international watchdogs maintain that the vast majority of those killed were legitimate civilian journalists. Despite removing a small number of names confirmed to be combatants, organizations like CPJ and RSF maintain that Israel remains responsible for an unprecedented and unjustifiable toll on the press.

Citations (15)

1themedialine.orgNews and media
themedialine.org
Backs: “Whether a majority of Gazan journalists killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute.”
2cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “The two sides differ fundamentally on what constitutes a "link" or "affiliation" and dispute the credibility of the evidence presented.”
3ynetnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.80
ynetnews.com
Backs: “Proponents of the claim argue that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) systematically embed combatants and propagandists within the media.”
4aipac.orgNonprofits and think tanks
aipac.org
Backs: “Proponents of the claim argue that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) systematically embed combatants and propagandists within the media.”
5timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “The Meir Amit Center Study: In December 2025, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (an Israeli research group with close ties to Israeli military intelligence) published a study analyzing 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza.”
6wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “The Meir Amit Center Study: In December 2025, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (an Israeli research group with close ties to Israeli military intelligence) published a study analyzing 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza.”
7arabnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.48
arabnews.com
Backs: “Hamas and PIJ Obituaries: In mid-2026, Hamas and PIJ published official obituaries and "martyr" posters for several individuals previously listed by international watchdogs as civilian journalists, identifying them instead as combatants or active military operatives.”
8newlinesmag.comNot yet classified
newlinesmag.com
Backs: “Hamas and PIJ Obituaries: In mid-2026, Hamas and PIJ published official obituaries and "martyr" posters for several individuals previously listed by international watchdogs as civilian journalists, identifying them instead as combatants or active military operatives.”
9jns.orgNews and mediaquality 0.78
jns.org
Backs: “HonestReporting Audit: In August 2026, the pro-Israel media watchdog HonestReporting published an audit of CPJ's casualty list, alleging that more than half of the remaining names (at least 120 out of 209) had verified ties to terror groups, with 56 of them acting as "active, violent militants" at the time of their…”
10tps.co.ilGovernment
tps.co.il
Backs: “IDF-Released Intelligence: The IDF has released captured documents, payroll rosters, and training logs to support its claims that high-profile Al Jazeera journalists—such as Ismail Al Ghoul, Hamza Al-Dahdouh, and Anas al-Sharif—were dual-hatted as rocket cell leaders, engineers, or Nukhba special forces.”
11youtube.comSocial media and video
youtube.com
Backs: “Opponents, including groups like CPJ, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and outlets like Al Jazeera, argue that Israel uses overly broad definitions of "terrorist" to justify killing journalists and block coverage of the war. Their key arguments include:”
12timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “Combatant: Under international humanitarian law, journalists are considered civilians and are protected from targeted attacks unless they "directly participate in hostilities." Press freedom organizations emphasize that working for state-funded, local, or partisan media outlets (such as the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV…”
13jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “Combatant: Under international humanitarian law, journalists are considered civilians and are protected from targeted attacks unless they "directly participate in hostilities." Press freedom organizations emphasize that working for state-funded, local, or partisan media outlets (such as the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV…”
14cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “Watchdogs argue that labeling these reporters as terrorists serves to discredit their reporting and dull international outrage over their deaths. ---. Conclusion”
15youtube.comSocial media and video
youtube.com
Backs: “Watchdogs argue that labeling these reporters as terrorists serves to discredit their reporting and dull international outrage over their deaths. ---. Conclusion”