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

Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute. The answer depends entirely on how "linked" or "affiliated" is defined.

Investigations by the Israeli military and think tanks claim that a majority of those killed had terror ties, while international press freedom organizations and independent watchdogs maintain that the vast majority were civilian journalists, with only a small minority found to be active combatants.

The Israeli Perspective: "Yes, a majority were linked"

Israeli authorities and research centers argue that a majority of the individuals identified as journalists killed in Gaza were affiliated with terrorist groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

•The Meir Amit Center Study: A comprehensive study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (an Israeli think tank) examined 266 media workers reported killed in Gaza. It concluded that roughly 60% (157 individuals) were either members of terrorist groups or worked for outlets affiliated with them. According to the study, at least 47 belonged to Hamas's military wing and 45 were linked to PIJ.

•IDF Determinations: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they verified 170 Palestinians killed in Gaza—who had been publicly identified as journalists—as active members of terror groups. The IDF asserted that 118 were active in Hamas's military wing, 49 in PIJ, and others in smaller factions, and published documents and ID numbers to support these claims.

•The Definition of "Linked": Under the Israeli framework, "links" or "affiliations" include not only active military combatants but also individuals employed by media channels directly owned and operated by Hamas or PIJ (such as Al-Aqsa TV or Al-Quds Al-Youm). Israel argues these outlets are integral parts of the terror groups' propaganda, psychological warfare, and military operations, meaning their employees are dual-role operatives.

The International Press Freedom Perspective: "No, the vast majority were civilian journalists"

International media watchdogs—such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF)—strongly reject the claim that a majority of the killed journalists were terrorists.

•CPJ’s Database Review: Following the publication of "martyr bios" and obituaries by Hamas and PIJ identifying some slain journalists as military commanders or combatants, the CPJ conducted a comprehensive review of its database of killed journalists.

•The Findings of the Review: Out of 229 cases reviewed, CPJ removed 22 names—19 because new evidence established they had "engaged in combat" and three because they did not qualify as media workers. CPJ reinstated several others and concluded that Israel remained responsible for the deaths of over 190 civilian journalists and media workers. This represents a combatant rate of roughly 10% of their documented database, far from a majority.

•The Definition under International Law: Under international humanitarian law (IHL), journalists are considered civilians. International watchdogs emphasize that working for a media outlet affiliated with a non-state actor or political group (even a designated terrorist group like Hamas) does not strip a journalist of civilian protection, provided they do not directly participate in hostilities. For these organizations, an individual is only excluded from civilian status if there is concrete evidence they were actively engaging in combat or inciting imminent violence. They argue that Israel often uses broad allegations of "terrorism" to justify the targeting of journalists and evade accountability.

Dispute Over Evidence in High-Profile Cases

There is also severe disagreement regarding the evidence presented by the IDF in specific cases:

•Al Jazeera Journalists: The IDF has accused several prominent Al Jazeera journalists (such as Ismail Al Ghoul, Hamza Al-Dahdouh, and Anas al-Sharif) of holding military ranks within Hamas or PIJ, presenting captured documents as proof.

•Al Jazeera and independent press groups have heavily contested these claims. They have pointed to inconsistencies in the IDF's documents (such as listing a journalist as receiving a military rank when they were only ten years old) and accused the military of retroactively fabricating "terrorist" profiles for journalists they killed.

Summary

•Yes, a majority (approx. 60%) had links to terrorist organizations if you use the Israeli definition, which includes anyone holding membership in a Hamas/PIJ political wing or working for a media outlet run by these groups.

•No, only a small minority (approx. 10%) were actual combatants if you use the definition established under international humanitarian law, which protects journalists as civilians unless they are actively participating in armed hostilities.

Citations (17)

1facebook.comSocial media and video
facebook.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.”
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.”
3ynetnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.80
ynetnews.com
Backs: “The answer depends entirely on how "linked" or "affiliated" is defined.”
4jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “The answer depends entirely on how "linked" or "affiliated" is defined.”
5timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “Investigations by the Israeli military and think tanks claim that a majority of those killed had terror ties, while international press freedom organizations and independent watchdogs maintain that the vast majority were civilian journalists, with only a small minority found to be active combatants.”
6cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “Investigations by the Israeli military and think tanks claim that a majority of those killed had terror ties, while international press freedom organizations and independent watchdogs maintain that the vast majority were civilian journalists, with only a small minority found to be active combatants.”
7jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “Israeli authorities and research centers argue that a majority of the individuals identified as journalists killed in Gaza were affiliated with terrorist groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).”
8aipac.orgNonprofits and think tanks
aipac.org
Backs: “The Definition of "Linked": Under the Israeli framework, "links" or "affiliations" include not only active military combatants but also individuals employed by media channels directly owned and operated by Hamas or PIJ (such as Al-Aqsa TV or Al-Quds Al-Youm). Israel argues these outlets are integral parts of the…”
9cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “International media watchdogs—such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF)—strongly reject the claim that a majority of the killed journalists were terrorists. CPJ’s Database Review: Following the publication of "martyr bios" and obituaries by Hamas and PIJ identifying some…”
10jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “International media watchdogs—such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF)—strongly reject the claim that a majority of the killed journalists were terrorists. CPJ’s Database Review: Following the publication of "martyr bios" and obituaries by Hamas and PIJ identifying some…”
11cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “International media watchdogs—such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF)—strongly reject the claim that a majority of the killed journalists were terrorists. CPJ’s Database Review: Following the publication of "martyr bios" and obituaries by Hamas and PIJ identifying some…”
12aipac.orgNonprofits and think tanks
aipac.org
Backs: “CPJ’s Database Review: Following the publication of "martyr bios" and obituaries by Hamas and PIJ identifying some slain journalists as military commanders or combatants, the CPJ conducted a comprehensive review of its database of killed journalists. The Findings of the Review: Out of 229 cases reviewed, CPJ removed…”
13freepressunlimited.orgNot yet classified
freepressunlimited.org
Backs: “The Findings of the Review: Out of 229 cases reviewed, CPJ removed 22 names—19 because new evidence established they had "engaged in combat" and three because they did not qualify as media workers. CPJ reinstated several others and concluded that Israel remained responsible for the deaths of over 190 civilian…”
14lorientlejour.comNews and media
lorientlejour.com
Backs: “CPJ reinstated several others and concluded that Israel remained responsible for the deaths of over 190 civilian journalists and media workers. This represents a combatant rate of roughly 10% of their documented database, far from a majority.”
15reddit.comForums and Q&A
reddit.com
Backs: “This represents a combatant rate of roughly 10% of their documented database, far from a majority. The Definition under International Law: Under international humanitarian law (IHL), journalists are considered civilians.”
16facebook.comSocial media and video
facebook.com
Backs: “There is also severe disagreement regarding the evidence presented by the IDF in specific cases: Al Jazeera Journalists: The IDF has accused several prominent Al Jazeera journalists (such as Ismail Al Ghoul, Hamza Al-Dahdouh, and Anas al-Sharif) of holding military ranks within Hamas or PIJ, presenting captured…”
17wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “Al Jazeera and independent press groups have heavily contested these claims. They have pointed to inconsistencies in the IDF's documents (such as listing a journalist as receiving a military rank when they were only ten years old) and accused the military of retroactively fabricating "terrorist" profiles for…”