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

Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute. The answer depends entirely on the criteria used to define a "journalist" versus a "combatant," and whether one relies on Israeli military assessments or international press-freedom organizations.

The conflicting perspectives and data surrounding this issue break down into two main arguments.

The Israeli Government and Military Perspective: Yes

Israel and pro-Israel research organizations argue that a majority of the individuals identified as journalists killed in Gaza were active operatives or affiliates of terrorist organizations like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

•The Meir Amit Center Study: In December 2025, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (a research group with ties to the Israeli intelligence community) published a study examining 266 individuals killed in Gaza who had been publicly identified as journalists or media workers. The study asserted that roughly 60% (157 individuals) were members of or closely affiliated with terrorist groups—specifically identifying 104 linked to Hamas and 45 to PIJ.

•The IDF Database: In October 2026, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an online database identifying 170 individuals killed in Gaza who had been presented as journalists but whom Israel classified as active terrorists. According to the IDF, 118 of these individuals were active in Hamas's military wing, and 49 operated in PIJ’s military wing.

•The Core Argument: The Israeli military argues that Hamas and other militant groups systematically embed combat and intelligence-gathering operatives within media organizations to exploit the legal protections granted to journalists under international law.

International Press Freedom and Human Rights Organizations: No

International watchdogs, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), maintain that the vast majority of the journalists killed in Gaza were civilian media professionals.

•The CPJ Review and Audits: Following the release of obituaries by Hamas and PIJ identifying certain slain media workers as combatants, CPJ conducted a comprehensive review and external audit. By September 2026, CPJ had removed 27 individuals from its list of slain journalists after confirming they were active combatants or members of a militant group. CPJ also updated its criteria to automatically exclude "anyone with active membership of any military arm of a state or non-state actor," which resulted in several of those removals.

•The Remaining Majority: Even after removing those 27 individuals, CPJ's vetted list of killed Palestinian journalists and media workers stood at 191. CPJ and other organizations state that for the vast majority (roughly 85% to 90% of their documented list), there is no credible evidence of active combat status or military involvement. They contend that the high death toll represents an unprecedented and disproportionate loss of civilian media workers.

The Legal and Definitional Dispute

The core of the disagreement lies in how international humanitarian law (IHL) defines combatants versus partisan media workers:

1.Partisan Journalism vs. Active Hostilities: Under IHL, journalists are classified as civilians and are protected from deliberate targeting. This protection remains in place even if a journalist is highly partisan, biased, or employed by a state- or party-run media outlet (such as Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV), as long as they do not directly participate in military hostilities.

2.Broad vs. Narrow Classification:

•Israel often applies a broad definition, classifying any employee of a Hamas-run media, administrative, or propaganda wing as a member of the "Hamas terrorist organization."

•International press-freedom groups apply a narrower definition based on IHL, distinguishing between someone who produces media/propaganda (who remains a civilian protected under international law) and someone who is an active, armed member of a military wing or directly participating in combat.

Citations (12)

1apnews.comNews and mediaquality 1.00
apnews.com
Backs: “The answer depends entirely on the criteria used to define a "journalist" versus a "combatant," and whether one relies on Israeli military assessments or international press-freedom organizations.”
2timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “The answer depends entirely on the criteria used to define a "journalist" versus a "combatant," and whether one relies on Israeli military assessments or international press-freedom organizations.”
3jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “The Meir Amit Center Study: In December 2025, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (a research group with ties to the Israeli intelligence community) published a study examining 266 individuals killed in Gaza who had been publicly identified as journalists or media workers.”
4timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “The IDF Database: In October 2026, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an online database identifying 170 individuals killed in Gaza who had been presented as journalists but whom Israel classified as active terrorists. According to the IDF, 118 of these individuals were active in Hamas's military wing, and 49…”
5ynetnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.80
ynetnews.com
Backs: “The Core Argument: The Israeli military argues that Hamas and other militant groups systematically embed combat and intelligence-gathering operatives within media organizations to exploit the legal protections granted to journalists under international law.”
6clickondetroit.comNot yet classified
clickondetroit.com
Backs: “The Core Argument: The Israeli military argues that Hamas and other militant groups systematically embed combat and intelligence-gathering operatives within media organizations to exploit the legal protections granted to journalists under international law.”
7icrc.orgNot yet classified
icrc.org
Backs: “International watchdogs, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), maintain that the vast majority of the journalists killed in Gaza were civilian media professionals. The CPJ Review and Audits: Following the release of…”
8freepressunlimited.orgNot yet classified
freepressunlimited.org
Backs: “The CPJ Review and Audits: Following the release of obituaries by Hamas and PIJ identifying certain slain media workers as combatants, CPJ conducted a comprehensive review and external audit. By September 2026, CPJ had removed 27 individuals from its list of slain journalists after confirming they were active…”
9apnews.comNews and mediaquality 1.00
apnews.com
Backs: “By September 2026, CPJ had removed 27 individuals from its list of slain journalists after confirming they were active combatants or members of a militant group. CPJ also updated its criteria to automatically exclude "anyone with active membership of any military arm of a state or non-state actor," which resulted in…”
10diplomacyandlaw.comNot yet classified
diplomacyandlaw.com
Backs: “Active Hostilities: Under IHL, journalists are classified as civilians and are protected from deliberate targeting. This protection remains in place even if a journalist is highly partisan, biased, or employed by a state- or party-run media outlet (such as Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV), as long as they do not directly…”
11icrc.orgNot yet classified
icrc.org
Backs: “This protection remains in place even if a journalist is highly partisan, biased, or employed by a state- or party-run media outlet (such as Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV), as long as they do not directly participate in military hostilities. Broad vs.”
12wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “Israel often applies a broad definition, classifying any employee of a Hamas-run media, administrative, or propaganda wing as a member of the "Hamas terrorist organization.". International press-freedom groups apply a narrower definition based on IHL, distinguishing between someone who produces media/propaganda (who…”