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

NoSays it is contestedSources conflict

The Meir Amit Center claims about 60% of killed Gazan journalists belonged to terrorist groups, while CPJ, the Guardian and RSF do not substantiate a majority.

Short answer: No credible, independent evidence shows that a majority of Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023 were linked to terrorist organizations.

Details:

•The “majority” claim largely comes from Israeli government–aligned research (the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center) and advocacy groups, which count both alleged operatives and people employed by Hamas‑affiliated outlets; their methodology and evidence have not been independently verified.[1]

•Independent press‑freedom groups have not substantiated a majority. CPJ’s September 24, 2026 audit of Gaza/IOPT journalist deaths removed some cases that turned out to be militants or non‑journalists, but it did not find support for characterizing most of the dead as terrorists; CPJ also emphasizes it does not classify by political affiliation and excludes anyone found to be engaged in combat.[2]

•An investigation by the Guardian found that roughly 30% of those on CPJ’s list at the time worked for outlets affiliated with or controlled by Hamas—well below a majority and not the same as proven membership in militant groups.[3]

•RSF has repeatedly said Israeli document dumps and public accusations against specific Gaza reporters (including Al Jazeera staff) are insufficient proof of militant membership and do not remove journalists’ civilian protections absent direct participation in hostilities.[4]

•Major newsrooms and CPJ have also flagged instances where Israeli claims about individual Gaza journalists (for example, Al Jazeera’s Ismail al‑Ghoul) were asserted without credible evidence.[5]

Bottom line: While some cases of affiliation or participation have been alleged or identified, the best available independent reporting does not support the claim that a majority of the Gazan journalists killed were linked to terrorist organizations.[2]

Citations (5)

1terrorism-info.org.ilNonprofits and think tanks
About 60% of the Gazans Classified as "Journalists" and Other Media Personnel Killed in the Gaza Strip War Belonged to Hamas and Other Terrorist Organizations - The Amit Terrorism and Intelligence Research Institute
Backs: “The “majority” claim largely comes from Israeli government–aligned research (the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center) and advocacy groups, which count both alleged operatives and people employed by Hamas‑affiliated outlets; their methodology and evidence have not been independently verified.”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: The 'majority' claim comes from Israeli government-aligned research (Meir Amit Center), counting alleged operatives and employees of Hamas-affiliated outlets, with methodology not independently verified.
2cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
CPJ completes review of journalists killed in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory - Committee to Protect Journalists
Backs: “CPJ also emphasizes it does not classify by political affiliation and excludes anyone found to be engaged in combat.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Bottom line: best available independent reporting does not support that a majority of killed Gazan journalists were linked to terrorist organizations.
3theguardian.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 investigation by the Guardian found that roughly 30% of those on CPJ’s list at the time worked for outlets affiliated with or controlled by Hamas—well below a majority and not the same as proven membership in militant groups.”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Guardian investigation found roughly 30% of those on CPJ's list worked for Hamas-affiliated or controlled outlets, below a majority and not proof of membership.
4rsf.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Gaza: RSF is alarmed by the Israeli army's serious accusations against six Al-Jazeera journalists and calls for their protection | RSF
Backs: “RSF has repeatedly said Israeli document dumps and public accusations against specific Gaza reporters (including Al Jazeera staff) are insufficient proof of militant membership and do not remove journalists’ civilian protections absent direct participation in hostilities.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: RSF said Israeli document dumps and accusations against Gaza reporters, including Al Jazeera staff, are insufficient proof of militant membership.
5washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Al Jazeera rejects allegation that Ismail al-Ghoul was Hamas fighter - The Washington Post
Backs: “Major newsrooms and CPJ have also flagged instances where Israeli claims about individual Gaza journalists (for example, Al Jazeera’s Ismail al‑Ghoul) were asserted without credible evidence.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Israeli claims about individual journalists like Ismail al-Ghoul were asserted without credible evidence, according to newsrooms and CPJ.