Were a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7th, 2023 linked to terrorist organizations?
Short answer: There’s no independent evidence that a majority were operatives of terrorist groups. That claim is made by Israeli authorities and aligned groups, but it is not corroborated by press‑freedom monitors or UN experts.
What independent monitors report
•CPJ’s continuously updated tally says that, as of September 24, 2026, at least 189 Palestinian journalists and media workers were killed in Gaza by Israeli fire since October 7, 2023. After a months‑long 2026 review, CPJ removed some names it found later to be combatants or non‑journalists, but it did not conclude that most of the dead were militants; it reaffirmed that its determinations are based on journalistic work, not affiliations.[1]
•UN human rights experts and press‑freedom groups (e.g., RSF) say Israel has repeatedly labeled slain Palestinian journalists as “terrorists” without providing verifiable proof, and stress that employment by a partisan outlet or alleged sympathy does not strip a journalist’s civilian protection under international humanitarian law.[2]
What Israeli authorities and advocacy groups claim
•The IDF asserts that “at least 170” of the Gazans categorized as journalists/media personnel who were killed were actually members of Hamas, PIJ, or other militant wings. An Israeli research center likewise argued that about 57% of a 131‑person sample had organizational ties, and an advocacy site (HonestReporting) claimed 57% “had ties to terrorism” in CPJ’s Gaza list. These figures rely on Israeli intelligence releases and open‑source posts, and are disputed by CPJ and others.[3]
Why the numbers diverge
•Definitions differ. Israeli sources often count anyone working for faction‑run outlets (for example, Hamas‑controlled Al‑Aqsa TV, which the U.S. designated in 2010) as “terror‑linked,” whereas CPJ may still classify those staff as journalists or media workers if their primary work was news/reporting. Being “affiliated” with or employed by a designated group’s media arm is not the same as taking part in hostilities, legally or methodologically.[4]
Bottom line
•The assertion that most Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023 were linked to terrorist organizations is asserted by Israeli officials and some advocates, but it remains unproven by independent, verifiable evidence. CPJ’s reviewed database and UN/RSF assessments do not substantiate that a majority were combatants.[1]
Backs: “After a months‑long 2026 review, CPJ removed some names it found later to be combatants or non‑journalists, but it did not conclude that most of the dead were militants; it reaffirmed that its determinations are based on journalistic work, not affiliations.”
Backs: “UN human rights experts and press‑freedom groups (e.g., RSF) say Israel has repeatedly labeled slain Palestinian journalists as “terrorists” without providing verifiable proof, and stress that employment by a partisan outlet or alleged sympathy does not strip a journalist’s civilian protection under international…”
Backs: “Being “affiliated” with or employed by a designated group’s media arm is not the same as taking part in hostilities, legally or methodologically.”