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

Were a Majority of Gazan Journalists Killed Linked to Terrorist Organizations?

This is a highly contested claim, and the answer depends heavily on which source you consult. There are two very different sets of findings:

The Israeli Claim: "Majority" Linked to Terror Groups

Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center study: This study examined the identities of 266 individuals identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and November 30, 2025, and found that at least 157 of them — roughly 60 percent — were members of terror groups or clearly affiliated with them, including 104 linked to Hamas and 45 to Islamic Jihad. A handful of others were linked to Fatah's armed wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, as well as the PFLP, the DFLP, and the Popular Resistance Committees.

IDF's own database (released October 2026): The IDF identified 118 of those 170 individuals as members of Hamas' military wing, 49 as members of PIJ, two affiliated with the Popular Resistance Committees, and one with another terrorist organization. The IDF claims these individuals, some of whom worked for outlets like Reuters, Anadolu Agency, and Palestine Now News Agency, operated as snipers, commanders, trainers, and propaganda agents, with some allegedly infiltrating Israel and participating in the October 7 massacre.

HonestReporting's independent audit of CPJ's own list: Of the 191 Gazan journalists on CPJ's list, a preliminary audit found 102 had connections to terrorist groups — which would itself constitute a majority of that particular (smaller) list.

The Press Freedom Organizations' Position: Only a Small Fraction Removed

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the leading international press-freedom watchdog, disputes this characterization:

As of their most recent count, CPJ's figures show Israel has killed 259 media workers in the conflict since October 7, 2023, 210 of them Palestinian journalists inside Gaza. Under CPJ's standard, only roughly 10% of their overall list has been removed for terrorist affiliation — far short of a majority.

Bottom Line

There is no consensus answer. It depends entirely on the source and methodology:

A key point of dispute is methodology: Israeli sources often count affiliation with a Hamas-run outlet (like Al-Aqsa TV) or inclusion in a militant group's eulogy as evidence of "membership," while CPJ requires evidence the individual was directly engaged in combat to exclude them as a protected journalist under international humanitarian law. This underlying disagreement over definitions is why the two sides arrive at such dramatically different percentages.