Investigating the journalists killed in Gaza — I'll track casualty counts and reported militant links to test the majority claim.
No consensus exists - answer depends on source, methodology, and definition of "linked."
What Israeli sources claim - yes, a majority
•The Israel Defense Forces in 2025-2026 published what it calls the "Press Files" identifying 170 Gazans killed during the war who were presented internationally as innocent journalists and media personnel but also served in terrorist organizations' military wings
•Of those 170, the IDF said 118 belonged to Hamas's military wing, 49 to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the rest to smaller factions, including 17 who actually crossed into Israel on 7 October 2023
•The IDF said its evidence includes internal documents produced by the terrorist organizations themselves, records recovered by Israeli troops inside Gaza, photographs and other intelligence material, with military ID numbers, ranks and unit affiliations
•A 140-page study by the Israeli-affiliated Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center examined 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza and concluded that roughly 60% were members of or affiliated with terrorist organizations — primarily Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad
•Meir Amit said at least 157 were either members of or affiliated with terrorist groups, specifically 104 tied to Hamas and 45 to Islamic Jihad
•The Center said it analyzed 266 Palestinians identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza between October 2023 and late November 2025 and concluded that about 60% had roles in Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or other armed factions, including combat, command, or propaganda duties by matching Hamas casualty lists and Palestinian press reports with IDF documents, internal rosters, and social media evidence
•An independent review by the Israeli media watchdog HonestReporting of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) revised database found 102 of 191 people still on the roster have demonstrable connections to terrorist groups, 53 percent, and Of the 191 Gazan journalists on CPJ's list, 102 were found in a preliminary audit to have connections to terrorist groups
Given total death tolls cited as:
•over 212 journalists and media workers in Gaza since Oct 7 2023 per International Federation of Journalists
•262 journalists per Gaza government Media Office
•around 240 Palestinian journalists per Writers Against the War on Gaza
•191 Palestinian journalists and media workers per CPJ after its 2026 review
170 of 240-262, or 157 of 266, or 102 of 191 would each constitute a majority (59-70%).
The BBC is also reviewing its reporting after an investigation found that 53 of more than 180 names examined ... had ties to Hamas and other terrorist organizations
What international press-freedom groups and UN experts say - not proven, disputed
•CPJ itself, after a comprehensive review, reached a much lower figure. CPJ said as of June 25, 2026, the current total ... stands at 209 after removing eight names ... because they were later established to have been Hamas or PIJ combatants. A further 12 individuals were removed for other reasons
•In a later September 2026 review, CPJ ultimately removed 22 people from its list, including some it found had participated in combat — but retained others despite militant obituaries, gun photos, or past organisational ties when the evidence did not establish active combatant status
•Specifically, 22 individuals were removed: 19 for participating in hostilities and three for failing to meet CPJ's definition of a journalist, leaving 191. A separate Associated Press report said CPJ removed another three Palestinians ... because their role as journalists could not be established after removing 19 militants
That suggests CPJ itself validates militant status for <10% of its original list, not a majority.
•UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese disputed the findings, saying there was "zero" evidence demonstrating that those identified by Israel had participated in military activities
•Critics say the IDF list contains edited documents, and unverifiable snippets alleging journalists were "terrorists"
•Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has debunked specific cases, noting for example the document says al-Ghoul, born in 1997, received a military rank in 2007, when he was 10, while elsewhere saying he joined in 2014
•Israeli officials argue the findings support claims that Hamas embeds its operatives in media outlets and uses press credentials as cover, while press freedom advocates counter that Israel is trying to discredit Palestinian reporters instead of addressing the scale of journalist deaths
Assessment
•Under a broad definition of "affiliated" that includes past membership, propaganda duties, working for Hamas-affiliated media like Al-Aqsa, or appearing on Hamas/PIJ martyr notices, Israeli-linked studies find ~53-60% affiliation, i.e. a narrow majority.
•Under CPJ's stricter definition - requiring proof the individual was engaged in combat at time of death or not acting as a journalist - only 19 of ~229 reviewed (about 8%) were reclassified as militants, and the organization retained others despite militant obituaries ... when the evidence did not establish active combatant status
Therefore, whether a majority were "linked" is contested and depends on evidentiary standard and definition of journalism vs. terrorist affiliation; independent international monitors have not endorsed the majority claim and call IDF evidence insufficient or inconsistent.