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

Short answer: No.

What independent press‑freedom groups have found

•CPJ’s running audit for this war shows large numbers of Palestinian journalists and media workers killed in Gaza, but when CPJ re‑checked its own database in 2026 it removed 27 names across the region after finding those individuals had actually engaged in combat—a small fraction, not a majority, of the Gazans killed while working in the media.[1]

•CPJ has repeatedly said Israeli authorities have labeled slain Palestinian journalists “terrorists” without providing verifiable evidence, and it urges independent investigations. CPJ also notes that, under international humanitarian law, working for or being “affiliated” with a non‑state armed actor does not strip a journalist of civilian protection unless they directly take part in hostilities.[2]

•RSF has likewise criticized unsubstantiated accusations against Palestinian journalists and documented cases where journalists were killed while clearly working.[3]

What Israeli and allied sources claim

•The Israel Defense Forces published an intelligence claim that at least 170 Gazans presented as journalists or media workers who were killed since October 7, 2023, were actually members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or other groups. These assertions have not been independently verified.[4]

•A study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (an Israeli research institute) similarly argues that about 60% of those it counted as “journalists/media personnel” killed in Gaza were operatives or affiliated with armed groups—figures that diverge sharply from independent watchdog tallies and methods.[5]

Bottom line
Independent watchdog data and reviews to date do not support the claim that a majority of Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were members of terrorist organizations. Some cases of combatant involvement have been identified, but they are far short of a majority; broad government claims asserting otherwise have not been substantiated to independent standards.[1]

Citations (5)

1cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Journalist casualties during the Israel–Gaza war and related regional conflicts - Committee to Protect Journalists
Backs: “CPJ’s running audit for this war shows large numbers of Palestinian journalists and media workers killed in Gaza, but when CPJ re‑checked its own database in 2026 it removed 27 names across the region after finding those individuals had actually engaged in combat—a small fraction, not a majority, of the Gazans killed…”
2cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
CPJ denounces Israel's smearing of killed Palestinian journalists with unsubstantiated ‘terrorist’ labels - Committee to Protect Journalists
Backs: “CPJ also notes that, under international humanitarian law, working for or being “affiliated” with a non‑state armed actor does not strip a journalist of civilian protection unless they directly take part in hostilities.”
3rsf.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Ismail al-Ghoul's killing: targeted and discredited, Palestinian journalists suffer double punishment in Gaza | RSF
Backs: “RSF has likewise criticized unsubstantiated accusations against Palestinian journalists and documented cases where journalists were killed while clearly working.”
4idf.ilGovernment
Background Does the IDF Target Journalists in Gaza? 170 Gazan Journalists Exposed as Terrorists | IDF
Backs: “The Israel Defense Forces published an intelligence claim that at least 170 Gazans presented as journalists or media workers who were killed since October 7, 2023, were actually members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or other groups. These assertions have not been independently verified.”
5lawandisrael.orgNot yet classified
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
Backs: “A study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (an Israeli research institute) similarly argues that about 60% of those it counted as “journalists/media personnel” killed in Gaza were operatives or affiliated with armed groups—figures that diverge sharply from independent watchdog tallies and…”