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

Whether a majority of 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" is defined, and there is a stark division between the claims made by Israeli authorities and the findings of international press freedom organizations.

1. The Israeli Position: Yes, a Majority Were Affiliated

Israeli military and intelligence analyses assert that a majority of those identified as journalists killed in Gaza had ties to terrorist organizations like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

•The Meir Amit Study (December 2025): A comprehensive study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (a prominent Israeli research group with close ties to the military) analyzed 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed between October 2023 and late November 2025. It concluded that about 60% (157 of 266) were active members of, or closely affiliated with, terror groups (104 linked to Hamas, 45 to PIJ, and others to smaller factions).

•The IDF Investigation (October 2026): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released its own investigation claiming that 170 Gazans killed during the war who had been presented to the public as civilian journalists were actually active members of terror organizations. According to the IDF, 118 belonged to Hamas’s military wing, 49 to PIJ, and several others to other armed groups, with some allegedly participating in the October 7, 2023, attacks.

Israel’s Criteria for Affiliation:
Israeli researchers and military officials define "linkage" broadly. Their lists include:

1.Individuals who worked directly for Hamas- or PIJ-run state media and propaganda channels (such as Al-Aqsa TV, Al-Rai Radio, or Al-Quds Al-Youm). Israel argues these outlets are not independent media but rather military and political propaganda organs.

2."Dual-role" operatives who allegedly used press credentials, vests, and equipment as cover while actively functioning as military commanders, rocket operators, drone pilots, or snipers.

2. International Press Watchdogs: No, Only a Small Minority Were Combatants

Independent international press freedom organizations, 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 legitimate military targets or active combatants.

•The CPJ Comprehensive Audit (September 2026): In mid-2026, after Hamas and PIJ began publishing official "martyr" obituaries claiming some deceased media workers as combatants, the CPJ launched an extensive, audited review of its database of killed journalists. Following this audit, the CPJ removed a total of 27 individuals from its list because subsequent evidence confirmed they had participated in combat or belonged to a militant group.

•The Remaining Casualties: After removing those 27 individuals (and several others for separate clerical reasons), the CPJ’s verified tally of Palestinian journalists and media workers killed in Gaza stood at 191. This means that according to the CPJ, only about 12% to 14% of those initially recorded as media casualties have been established as combatants or militants.

International Law and Independent Criteria:
International press freedom groups and human rights organizations apply the standards of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which defines the status of journalists in wartime:

1.The Distinction Between Propaganda and Hostilities: Under IHL, journalists who work for partisan, state-owned, or faction-affiliated media outlets (including those run by Hamas) are still considered civilians. Simply working for a politically aligned media network does not strip a journalist of their civilian status or make them a legitimate military target.

2.The "Direct Participation" Standard: A journalist only loses their protected status under international law if and when they take a "direct part in hostilities" (i.e., engaging in combat, military operations, or direct coordination of violence).

3.Skepticism of Military Claims: Watchdogs have pointed out that Israel has a history of accusing journalists of being terrorists—often retroactively or without public evidence—to deflect criticism over civilian casualties. Because Israel has banned independent international journalists from entering Gaza, verifying these battlefield allegations remains highly difficult.

Summary

Whether the majority of killed Gazan journalists were "linked to terror" depends on the standard of proof and definition of "linkage":

•According to Israeli military and intelligence studies, a majority (~60%) were linked to terror because they worked for factional/state propaganda outlets or had dual roles as military operatives.

•According to independent international watchdogs (like CPJ), only a small minority (~12% to 14%) have been verified as active combatants or militants. The vast majority are classified as civilian media workers protected under international law, irrespective of their political employer.

Citations (17)

1themedialine.orgNews and media
themedialine.org
Backs: “Whether a majority of Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute.”
2timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “The Israeli Position: Yes, a Majority Were Affiliated. Israeli military and intelligence analyses assert that a majority of those identified as journalists killed in Gaza had ties to terrorist organizations like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).”
3ynetnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.80
ynetnews.com
Backs: “The Israeli Position: Yes, a Majority Were Affiliated. Israeli military and intelligence analyses assert that a majority of those identified as journalists killed in Gaza had ties to terrorist organizations like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).”
4jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “The Meir Amit Study (December 2025): A comprehensive study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (a prominent Israeli research group with close ties to the military) analyzed 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed between October 2023 and late November 2025.”
5israeltoday.co.ilNot yet classified
israeltoday.co.il
Backs: “It concluded that about 60% (157 of 266) were active members of, or closely affiliated with, terror groups (104 linked to Hamas, 45 to PIJ, and others to smaller factions).”
6jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “Individuals who worked directly for Hamas- or PIJ-run state media and propaganda channels (such as Al-Aqsa TV, Al-Rai Radio, or Al-Quds Al-Youm). Israel argues these outlets are not independent media but rather military and political propaganda organs.”
7aipac.orgNonprofits and think tanks
aipac.org
Backs: “Individuals who worked directly for Hamas- or PIJ-run state media and propaganda channels (such as Al-Aqsa TV, Al-Rai Radio, or Al-Quds Al-Youm). Israel argues these outlets are not independent media but rather military and political propaganda organs.”
8thejc.comNews and mediaquality 0.51
thejc.com
Backs: “Israel argues these outlets are not independent media but rather military and political propaganda organs. 2.”
9facebook.comSocial media and video
facebook.com
Backs: “"Dual-role" operatives who allegedly used press credentials, vests, and equipment as cover while actively functioning as military commanders, rocket operators, drone pilots, or snipers.”
10fdd.orgNot yet classified
fdd.org
Backs: “"Dual-role" operatives who allegedly used press credentials, vests, and equipment as cover while actively functioning as military commanders, rocket operators, drone pilots, or snipers.”
11wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “International Press Watchdogs: No, Only a Small Minority Were Combatants. Independent international press freedom organizations, 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 legitimate military targets…”
12latimes.comNews and mediaquality 0.85
latimes.com
Backs: “International Press Watchdogs: No, Only a Small Minority Were Combatants. Independent international press freedom organizations, 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 legitimate military targets…”
13apnews.comNews and mediaquality 1.00
apnews.com
Backs: “The CPJ Comprehensive Audit (September 2026): In mid-2026, after Hamas and PIJ began publishing official "martyr" obituaries claiming some deceased media workers as combatants, the CPJ launched an extensive, audited review of its database of killed journalists. Following this audit, the CPJ removed a total of 27…”
14cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “International Law and Independent Criteria: International press freedom groups and human rights organizations apply the standards of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which defines the status of journalists in wartime: The Distinction Between Propaganda and Hostilities: Under IHL, journalists who work for…”
15palestine-studies.orgNot yet classified
palestine-studies.org
Backs: “The "Direct Participation" Standard: A journalist only loses their protected status under international law if and when they take a "direct part in hostilities" (i.e., engaging in combat, military operations, or direct coordination of violence). Skepticism of Military Claims: Watchdogs have pointed out that Israel has…”
16niemanreports.orgNot yet classified
niemanreports.org
Backs: “Skepticism of Military Claims: Watchdogs have pointed out that Israel has a history of accusing journalists of being terrorists—often retroactively or without public evidence—to deflect criticism over civilian casualties. Because Israel has banned independent international journalists from entering Gaza, verifying…”
17newlinesmag.comNot yet classified
newlinesmag.com
Backs: “Because Israel has banned independent international journalists from entering Gaza, verifying these battlefield allegations remains highly difficult. Summary”