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

Leans noSays it is contestedSources conflict

The Meir Amit Center study (about 60% linked to terror groups) conflicts with CPJ's review, which found nearly 90% of its listed journalists had no verified combat participation.

Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute, with the answer largely depending on how "linked" is defined and which organization is conducting the analysis.

Two primary, conflicting perspectives exist: Israeli and independent researchers who argue that a significant portion—including a majority—had ties to militant groups, and international press freedom watchdogs who maintain that the vast majority were legitimate civilian journalists.

1. The Perspective That a Majority Had Terrorist Links

Israeli research organizations and some media investigations argue that the majority of those reported as "journalists" killed in Gaza had formal ties to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), or other armed groups:

•The Meir Amit Center Study: In December 2025, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (an Israeli research group) published a comprehensive study analyzing 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza. It concluded that roughly 60% (157 individuals) were members of or clearly affiliated with terrorist organizations—primarily Hamas (104) and PIJ (45). The study argued that many of these individuals held a "dual identity," serving both as media workers and active military operatives or propagandists for Hamas's military wing.

•Admissions of Combatant Status: In mid-2026, Hamas and PIJ published official obituaries and "martyr posters" for several individuals who had previously been widely listed by international NGOs as civilian journalists. These obituaries identified them as active combatants or military commanders.

•Independent Media Audits: In September 2026, an investigation by the UK's Telegraph analyzed a BBC Arabic report that had listed over 180 killed journalists. The Telegraph found that at least 53 of those named (about 30%) had verifiable ties to Hamas or other terrorist groups, including some who reportedly participated in the October 7 attacks.

2. The Perspective That the Vast Majority Were Civilian Journalists

International press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and the United Nations maintain that the overwhelming majority of those killed were legitimate civilian journalists.

•The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Database Review: Following the release of the Hamas and PIJ obituaries, the CPJ launched a comprehensive review of its database of killed journalists. Completed in September 2026, the audit reviewed 229 cases.

•The review resulted in the removal of 22 individuals from the list. Of those, 19 were removed because new research established they had actively "engaged in combat," and 3 were found not to be journalists.

•Even after these removals, the CPJ's verified list of killed journalists and media workers in Gaza stood at 191. According to CPJ's strict verification standards, the vast majority (nearly 90%) of those on their list had no verified record of participating in combat.

•Reporters Without Borders (RSF): RSF and other advocacy groups also updated their records, removing a small handful of individuals with verified combat ties, but they continue to assert that Israel has killed an unprecedented number of civilian journalists, accusing the Israeli military of deliberate targeting in several instances.

The Core Debate: "Affiliation" vs. "Combatant" Status

The fundamental disagreement centers on how international humanitarian law (IHL) is interpreted regarding partisan media workers:

1.Under International Humanitarian Law: According to the CPJ and other global watchdogs, mere political affiliation or employment by a media outlet run by a militant group (such as Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV) does not make a journalist a combatant. Under IHL, journalists working for state-aligned or partisan media are considered civilians and are protected from attack unless they directly participate in hostilities (e.g., carrying weapons, planning operations, or fighting).

2.Under the Israeli Military Framework: Israel and its supporters argue that Hamas-run media operations are not legitimate news organizations but are rather active psychological warfare and propaganda wings of a terrorist government. They contend that individuals drawing salaries from these organizations are organizational members of a terrorist group, and they point to cases where individuals used the cover of "Press" vests to conduct military surveillance or participate in combat.

Summary: While independent research and militant-group obituaries have proven that dozens of the killed "journalists" were indeed active combatants or formally tied to terror groups, international watchdogs conclude that the majority of the nearly 200 journalists killed were civilian media workers under the definitions of international law, even if some worked for partisan, Hamas-controlled outlets.

Citations (9)

1timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute, with the answer largely depending on how "linked" is defined and which organization is conducting the analysis.”
background, article, neutral. Claim: Whether a majority of killed Gazan journalists were linked to terrorist organizations is intensely disputed, depending on the definition of 'linked' and who does the analysis.
2jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute, with the answer largely depending on how "linked" is defined and which organization is conducting the analysis.”
background, article, neutral. Claim: Whether a majority of killed Gazan journalists were linked to terrorist organizations is intensely disputed, depending on the definition of 'linked' and who does the analysis.
3facebook.comSocial media and video
facebook.com
Backs: “The study argued that many of these individuals held a "dual identity," serving both as media workers and active military operatives or propagandists for Hamas's military wing. Admissions of Combatant Status: In mid-2026, Hamas and PIJ published official obituaries and "martyr posters" for several individuals who had…”
evidence, social or video, points to yes. Claim: The study argued many individuals held a 'dual identity' as media workers and military operatives or propagandists for Hamas's military wing.
4aipac.orgNonprofits and think tanks
aipac.org
Backs: “Admissions of Combatant Status: In mid-2026, Hamas and PIJ published official obituaries and "martyr posters" for several individuals who had previously been widely listed by international NGOs as civilian journalists. These obituaries identified them as active combatants or military commanders.”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Hamas and PIJ published obituaries and martyr posters for individuals previously listed as civilian journalists, identifying them as combatants or commanders.
5algemeiner.comNews and mediaquality 0.77
algemeiner.com
Backs: “Independent Media Audits: In September 2026, an investigation by the UK's Telegraph analyzed a BBC Arabic report that had listed over 180 killed journalists. The Telegraph found that at least 53 of those named (about 30%) had verifiable ties to Hamas or other terrorist groups, including some who reportedly…”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: A Telegraph investigation of a BBC Arabic list found at least 53 of over 180 named journalists had verifiable ties to Hamas or other groups.
6wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “The Perspective That the Vast Majority Were Civilian Journalists. International press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and the United Nations maintain that the overwhelming majority of those killed were legitimate civilian journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Database Review: Following…”
attribution, reference entry, points to no. Claim: International press freedom organizations, human rights groups and the UN maintain the overwhelming majority of those killed were legitimate civilian journalists.
7freepressunlimited.orgNot yet classified
freepressunlimited.org
Backs: “The Perspective That the Vast Majority Were Civilian Journalists. International press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and the United Nations maintain that the overwhelming majority of those killed were legitimate civilian journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Database Review: Following…”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: International press freedom organizations, human rights groups and the UN maintain the overwhelming majority of those killed were legitimate civilian journalists.
8cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “Even after these removals, the CPJ's verified list of killed journalists and media workers in Gaza stood at 191. According to CPJ's strict verification standards, the vast majority (nearly 90%) of those on their list had no verified record of participating in combat.”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: After removals, CPJ's verified list stood at 191, with nearly 90% having no verified record of participating in combat.
9newscord.orgNot yet classified
newscord.org
Backs: “Under International Humanitarian Law: According to the CPJ and other global watchdogs, mere political affiliation or employment by a media outlet run by a militant group (such as Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV) does not make a journalist a combatant. Under IHL, journalists working for state-aligned or partisan media are…”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Under IHL, mere affiliation or employment by a militant-run outlet like Al-Aqsa TV does not make a journalist a combatant.