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

Short answer: There’s no independent evidence that a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023 were members of terrorist organizations. The “majority” claim comes mainly from Israeli government–aligned or advocacy groups; press‑freedom organizations and independent investigators have not corroborated it.

What the best independent trackers say

•CPJ and RSF count hundreds of Palestinian journalists and media workers killed since Oct 7, 2023, and focus on whether they were engaged in journalism when killed; they do not find evidence that most were combatants. CPJ has explicitly reviewed and adjusted its database when credible evidence showed someone was an active militant, but says its determinations are based on journalistic status and exclude combatants.[1]

Where the “majority had terror ties” claim comes from

•The headline figures asserting that “over half” of the slain Gazan journalists had links to Hamas or other groups come from the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center and from HonestReporting; their analyses rely on obituaries, alleged “martyr” posters, or employment at Hamas‑run outlets, and have not been independently verified by CPJ/RSF.[2]

Important context and caveats

•Even Israel’s military has clarified that while some Al‑Aqsa network employees have been identified as members of Hamas’s military wing, that does not apply to all staff; employment at such an outlet alone doesn’t make someone a combatant. Under international humanitarian law, affiliation with a state or party media outlet does not strip a journalist’s civilian protection unless they directly participate in hostilities.[3]

•Press‑freedom groups and UN experts have also criticized broad, unsubstantiated labeling of killed reporters as “terrorists.”[4]

Bottom line: Some cases of dual roles or militant affiliation have been identified and removed by CPJ after review, but the only sources claiming that a majority were linked to terrorist organizations are not independent press‑freedom bodies, and their conclusions have not been validated by those bodies.[5]

Citations (5)

1cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Journalist casualties in the Israel-Gaza war - Committee to Protect Journalists
Backs: “CPJ has explicitly reviewed and adjusted its database when credible evidence showed someone was an active militant, but says its determinations are based on journalistic status and exclude combatants.”
2terrorism-info.org.ilNonprofits and think tanks
About 60% of the Gazans Classified as "Journalists" and Other Media Personnel Killed in the Gaza Strip War Belonged to Hamas and Other Terrorist Organizations - The Amit Terrorism and Intelligence Research Institute
Backs: “The headline figures asserting that “over half” of the slain Gazan journalists had links to Hamas or other groups come from the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center and from HonestReporting; their analyses rely on obituaries, alleged “martyr” posters, or employment at Hamas‑run outlets, and have not…”
3idf.ilGovernment
June 25, 2024 IDF Clarification Regarding Claims on Targeting Journalists | IDF
Backs: “Under international humanitarian law, affiliation with a state or party media outlet does not strip a journalist’s civilian protection unless they directly participate in hostilities.”
4rsf.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Gaza: RSF calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting after targeted Israeli strike kills six media professionals | RSF
Backs: “Press‑freedom groups and UN experts have also criticized broad, unsubstantiated labeling of killed reporters as “terrorists.””
5cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
CPJ undertakes review of its documentation of journalists killed in Israel-Gaza war since 2023 - Committee to Protect Journalists
Backs: “Some cases of dual roles or militant affiliation have been identified and removed by CPJ after review, but the only sources claiming that a majority were linked to terrorist organizations are not independent press‑freedom bodies, and their conclusions have not been validated by those bodies.”