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

Short answer: No.

What we know

•The main press‑freedom trackers (CPJ, RSF) have not found evidence that most of the Gaza journalists killed since October 7, 2023 were militants. CPJ’s 2026 review reaffirmed that it excludes anyone found to have been actively engaged in combat and does not treat political/media affiliation as proof of combatant status.[1]

•An independent consortium investigation reported that roughly 30% of those on CPJ’s Gaza list worked for outlets affiliated with or closely tied to Hamas—far short of a “majority,” and not evidence of membership in armed groups.[2]

•RSF has repeatedly said Israeli authorities have accused specific slain journalists of belonging to militant groups without providing sufficient evidence, and has called for independent investigations.[3]

Where the “majority” claim comes from

•Pro‑Israel watchdog HonestReporting and Israel’s Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC) have published audits asserting that about 53–60% of the deceased were members of or had “ties” to Hamas/PIJ. Their figures rely heavily on martyr notices and on counting employment by Hamas‑run media as a “tie.” These claims are contested by press‑freedom groups and are not accepted as proof that a majority were combatants.[4]

Context

•Even the IDF has publicly distanced itself from blanket statements equating journalists or Hamas‑affiliated media staff with members of Hamas’s military wing, saying such comments “mischaracterise IDF targeting policy.” Affiliation alone does not make someone a lawful target under the laws of war.[5]

Bottom line: Claims that “most” of the Gaza journalists killed were terrorists come from a small set of partisan analyses; the best‑established, independent datasets and investigations do not support that conclusion.[1]

Citations (5)

1cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
CPJ completes review of journalists killed in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory - Committee to Protect Journalists
Backs: “CPJ’s 2026 review reaffirmed that it excludes anyone found to have been actively engaged in combat and does not treat political/media affiliation as proof of combatant status.”
2theguardian.comNews and mediaquality 0.75
‘The grey zone’: how IDF views some journalists in Gaza as legitimate targets | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian
Backs: “An independent consortium investigation reported that roughly 30% of those on CPJ’s Gaza list worked for outlets affiliated with or closely tied to Hamas—far short of a “majority,” and not evidence of membership in armed groups.”
3rsf.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Ismail al-Ghoul's killing: targeted and discredited, Palestinian journalists suffer double punishment in Gaza | RSF
Backs: “RSF has repeatedly said Israeli authorities have accused specific slain journalists of belonging to militant groups without providing sufficient evidence, and has called for independent investigations.”
4honestreporting.comNonprofits and think tanks
CPJ Audits List of Dead Gazan Journalist – More Than Half Still Have Terrorist Ties | HonestReporting
Backs: “Their figures rely heavily on martyr notices and on counting employment by Hamas‑run media as a “tie.” These claims are contested by press‑freedom groups and are not accepted as proof that a majority were combatants.”
5idf.ilGovernment
June 25, 2024 IDF Clarification Regarding Claims on Targeting Journalists | IDF
Backs: “Even the IDF has publicly distanced itself from blanket statements equating journalists or Hamas‑affiliated media staff with members of Hamas’s military wing, saying such comments “mischaracterise IDF targeting policy.” Affiliation alone does not make someone a lawful target under the laws of war.”