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

Both sidesSays it is contestedSources conflict

Israeli sources (IDF, Meir Amit Center) claim a majority of killed journalists were militant-linked, while CPJ and other watchdogs say only a small minority (~14%) were.

Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a highly contested question. The answer depends entirely on which source is consulted and how "links to terrorist organizations" and "journalist" are defined.

Israeli authorities and research groups argue that a majority of those killed had active roles in, or were affiliated with, groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Conversely, independent international press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and media watchdogs argue that only a small minority have been proven to have active militant ties, asserting that the vast majority were legitimate civilian media workers.

The Israeli Perspective: The "Majority" Claim

The Israeli government and military, along with aligned research institutes, maintain that a majority of the Gazans identified as killed journalists were actually members of terrorist organizations.

•The Meir Amit Center Study: In December 2025, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (an Israeli research group with close ties to the defense establishment) published a study examining 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza. The study concluded that roughly 60% (157 individuals) were members of, or closely affiliated with, terror groups—including 104 linked to Hamas and 45 to PIJ. The report alleged that some acted as armed combatants, while others worked in the groups' propaganda units.

•The IDF's "Press Files" Database: On October 1, 2026, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an online database called "The Press Files." The database identified 170 Gazans killed during the war who had been publicly mourned as journalists but whom the IDF claimed were members of Hamas (118 individuals), PIJ (49 individuals), or other militant groups. The IDF alleged that 17 of these individuals had directly participated in the October 7, 2023 attacks.

•Definition of "Affiliation": A central pillar of the Israeli argument is that individuals employed by Hamas-run or Hamas-affiliated media outlets (such as the Al-Aqsa Media Network) cannot be considered independent, civilian journalists. Israel argues that because Hamas is a designated terrorist group that controls Gaza's governing and military apparatus, working for its media organs constitutes organizational membership.

The Press Watchdog Perspective: The "Minority" Claim

Independent international organizations—such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)—strongly dispute the assertion that a majority of the killed journalists were militants.

•CPJ's Comprehensive Audits: CPJ maintains a rigorously verified database of journalist casualties. Following the release of official obituaries by Hamas and PIJ in 2025 and 2026 identifying some previously listed journalists as combatants, CPJ commissioned an independent audit. By late September 2026, CPJ had removed a total of 27 individuals from its database after finding credible evidence that they had actively participated in combat or belonged to an armed wing of a militant group.

•The Proportions: With approximately 191 Palestinian journalists documented by CPJ as killed in connection to their work, the 27 individuals confirmed to have militant ties represent roughly 14% of the total—a distinct minority, rather than a majority.

•International Legal Standards: Under international humanitarian law, journalists are classified as civilians and are protected from military targeting. Press watchdogs emphasize that holding partisan political views, working for faction-aligned media outlets, or broadcasting state/organizational propaganda does not strip a media worker of their civilian status. According to the Geneva Conventions, a journalist only loses civilian protection if they "directly participate in hostilities" (such as engaging in active combat or military operations). Watchdogs argue that the IDF's broader definition of "terrorist" conflates partisan media employees with active military combatants.

Critiques of the Israeli Allegations

Independent researchers and media outlets have heavily scrutinized the IDF's claims, raising concerns about the quality of the evidence presented:

•Lack of Verifiable Evidence: Analysts who reviewed the IDF's "Press Files" database, such as Muhammad Shehada (a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations), reported that for a large portion of the 170 names listed, the IDF provided little to no concrete evidence, relying instead on generic assertions of "intelligence sources." Other cases relied on undated photos of individuals holding firearms, which critics argue do not prove active combatant status at the time of their deaths.

•The "Legitimization Cell": Investigative reports (including an expose by the Israeli independent outlet +972 Magazine) alleged that the Israeli military established a specialized intelligence unit called the "Legitimization Cell." Former intelligence sources claimed the unit’s primary purpose was to retroactively gather or misrepresent intelligence to portray killed Gazan journalists as Hamas operatives, aiming to blunt international outrage and legal pressure over civilian press casualties.

Summary

Ultimately, whether a majority of the killed Gazan journalists were "linked to terrorist organizations" depends on the criteria used:

•According to Israeli military and intelligence assessments, which use a broad definition that includes employment in partisan, Hamas-run media outlets as a organizational link, roughly 60% of the killed media workers had ties to militant groups.

•According to independent international press freedom groups applying international legal standards, only a small minority (around 14%) have been credibly shown to have active militant ties or to have participated in hostilities, meaning the vast majority are classified as civilian casualties.

Citations (13)

1ground.newsData and toolsquality 0.77
ground.news
Backs: “Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a highly contested question.”
background, article, neutral. Claim: Whether a majority of killed Gazan journalists were linked to terrorist organizations is highly contested.
2themedialine.orgNews and media
themedialine.org
Backs: “Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a highly contested question.”
background, article, neutral. Claim: Whether a majority of killed Gazan journalists were linked to terrorist organizations is highly contested.
3facebook.comSocial media and video
facebook.com
Backs: “Israeli authorities and research groups argue that a majority of those killed had active roles in, or were affiliated with, groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).”
attribution, social or video, points to yes. Claim: Israeli authorities and research groups argue a majority of those killed were affiliated with Hamas and PIJ.
4jewishinsider.comNews and media
jewishinsider.com
Backs: “Israeli authorities and research groups argue that a majority of those killed had active roles in, or were affiliated with, groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: Israeli authorities and research groups argue a majority of those killed were affiliated with Hamas and PIJ.
5time.comNews and mediaquality 0.83
time.com
Backs: “Conversely, independent international press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and media watchdogs argue that only a small minority have been proven to have active militant ties, asserting that the vast majority were legitimate civilian media workers.”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Press freedom organizations argue only a small minority were proven to have active militant ties.
6apnews.comNews and mediaquality 1.00
apnews.com
Backs: “Conversely, independent international press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and media watchdogs argue that only a small minority have been proven to have active militant ties, asserting that the vast majority were legitimate civilian media workers.”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Press freedom organizations argue only a small minority were proven to have active militant ties.
7commondreams.orgNews and mediaquality 0.54
commondreams.org
Backs: “Conversely, independent international press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and media watchdogs argue that only a small minority have been proven to have active militant ties, asserting that the vast majority were legitimate civilian media workers.”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Press freedom organizations argue only a small minority were proven to have active militant ties.
8burgasmedia.comNews and media
burgasmedia.com
Backs: “The IDF's "Press Files" Database: On October 1, 2026, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an online database called "The Press Files." The database identified 170 Gazans killed during the war who had been publicly mourned as journalists but whom the IDF claimed were members of Hamas (118 individuals), PIJ (49…”
statistic, article, points to yes. Claim: IDF 'Press Files' database launched, identifying 170 Gazans mourned as journalists as militant members.
9timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “The IDF's "Press Files" Database: On October 1, 2026, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an online database called "The Press Files." The database identified 170 Gazans killed during the war who had been publicly mourned as journalists but whom the IDF claimed were members of Hamas (118 individuals), PIJ (49…”
statistic, article, points to yes. Claim: IDF database named 170 killed Gazans as members of Hamas (118), PIJ (49) or other groups.
10timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “Definition of "Affiliation": A central pillar of the Israeli argument is that individuals employed by Hamas-run or Hamas-affiliated media outlets (such as the Al-Aqsa Media Network) cannot be considered independent, civilian journalists. Israel argues that because Hamas is a designated terrorist group that controls…”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Israel argues employees of Hamas-run media outlets like Al-Aqsa cannot be considered independent civilian journalists.
11commondreams.orgNews and mediaquality 0.54
commondreams.org
Backs: “The Press Watchdog Perspective: The "Minority" Claim. Independent international organizations—such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)—strongly dispute the assertion that a majority of the killed journalists were…”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: CPJ, RSF and IFJ strongly dispute that a majority of killed journalists were militants.
12cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “CPJ's Comprehensive Audits: CPJ maintains a rigorously verified database of journalist casualties. Following the release of official obituaries by Hamas and PIJ in 2025 and 2026 identifying some previously listed journalists as combatants, CPJ commissioned an independent audit.”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: CPJ audit removed 27 individuals from its database after finding evidence of combat participation or militant membership.
13substack.comBlogs and newsletters
substack.com
Backs: “The "Legitimization Cell": Investigative reports (including an expose by the Israeli independent outlet +972 Magazine) alleged that the Israeli military established a specialized intelligence unit called the "Legitimization Cell." Former intelligence sources claimed the unit’s primary purpose was to retroactively…”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: +972 Magazine alleged Israel's 'Legitimization Cell' retroactively portrayed killed journalists as Hamas operatives.