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

Investigating the claims about Gazan journalists killed since October 7th — gathering evidence to check any terrorist ties.

According to the most detailed name-by-name reviews published to date, the answer is yes - more than 50% were found to have ties to designated terrorist organizations.

Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center study

•His institute published a 140-page study in December examining, name by name, Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza, and concluded that roughly 60% were members of or affiliated with terrorist organizations — primarily Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad

•The study examined 266 media workers reported killed between Oct. 7, 2023, and Nov. 30, 2025, and found that 157 were members of or affiliated with terror groups. At least 47 belonged to Hamas’s military wing and 45 were linked to Palestinian Islamic Jihad

•Summary of same study: Of 266 Gazans identified as journalists or media personnel who had been killed through November 2025, roughly 60% were members of or clearly affiliated with terrorist organizations, primarily Hamas and PIJ

•Breakdown cited: at least 157 were members of terror groups, including 104 tied to Hamas and 45 to Islamic Jihad

The center says it cross-referenced names from a list published by Hamas' government information office with Palestinian media reports and with a Hamas document the IDF says it foundand examined Arabic-language social media, Telegram channels, mourning notices, funeral footage and organizational claims of responsibility.

HonestReporting audit of CPJ database

•The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) now faces fresh scrutiny after an audit revealed that at least 120 of the 209 individuals it classifies as "journalists" killed in Gaza were linked to Hamas or other militant groups. The findings... suggest that more than half of the names on CPJ's widely cited casualty database have documented terror affiliations

•The database currently names 209 individuals as "journalists" who died in the conflict. HonestReporting's review identified 56 people who were active combatants at the time of death and an additional 64 who had prior or ongoing ties to militant organisations. In total, 120 names fall into one of those categories

•"Our audit of CPJ's slain Gazan journalist database shows that at least 57 percent of supposed media workers have some ties to terrorist organizations,"

•The audit relied on open-source material such as official martyr notices published by Hamas, the Al‑Qassam Brigades, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and statements from the IDF

•Follow-up after CPJ's own review: The HonestReporting audit found that 120 of the 209 Gazan media workers, or 57 percent, had terrorist ties

•Of the 191 Gazan journalists on CPJ's list, 102 were found in a preliminary audit to have connections to terrorist groups

•CPJ announced the results of its audit on Thursday, reducing its list of Gazan journalists killed in the war to 191. 22 individuals were removed: 19 for participating in hostilities and three for failing to meet CPJ's definition of a journalist

CPJ's position has been that it does not include anyone when there is evidence they were engaged in combat, and that journalists affiliated with non-state actors remain civilians under international humanitarian law as long as they do not directly participate in hostilities. It has said its process requires at least two independent sources before someone is added, and that in-person verification has been impossible since Israel barred international correspondents from entering Gaza independently.

Context and dispute over definition

CPJ itself acknowledged 19 Palestinians killed who it had previously identified as journalists were actually militants or participants in combat, which is about 10% of its original list, but said Israeli forces have killed 191 Palestinian journalists and media workers since the start of the war

The difference between the ~10% CPJ now classifies as combatants and the ~57-60% figure in the HonestReporting/Meir Amit audits reflects a methodological disagreement:

•HonestReporting/Meir Amit count as "affiliated" anyone employed by Hamas-controlled outlets such as Al-Aqsa TV - designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Treasury - or Al Quds Today linked to PIJ, even if not proven to be an active fighter. Their audits found 61 names who worked for media outlets directly affiliated with terrorist groups

•CPJ retained many such individuals after a July 1 Board decision to "include journalists working for state-backed media and those working with media organizations affiliated with militant groups," stating determinations had not been made based on "an individual's affiliation" but on active membership in a military wing or engagement in acts of violence

Citations (3)

1algemeiner.comNews and mediaquality 0.77
Group Behind Gaza Press Death Toll Quietly Removes Hamas and Islamic Jihad Fighters From Its List
Backs: “According to the most detailed name-by-name reviews published to date, the answer is yes - more than 50% were found to have ties to designated terrorist organizations. Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center study. His institute published a 140-page study in December examining, name by name,…”
2statebeacon.comNot yet classified
Committee to Protect Journalists list includes 120 Gaza fighters with terror ties, audit shows
Backs: “The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) now faces fresh scrutiny after an audit revealed that at least 120 of the 209 individuals it classifies as "journalists" killed in Gaza were linked to Hamas or other militant groups. The findings...”
3honestreporting.comNonprofits and think tanks
CPJ Audits List of Dead Gazan Journalist – More Than Half Still Have Terrorist Ties
Backs: “The audit relied on open-source material such as official martyr notices published by Hamas, the Al‑Qassam Brigades, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and statements from the IDF. Follow-up after CPJ's own review: The HonestReporting audit found that 120 of the 209 Gazan media workers, or 57 percent, had terrorist ties”