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

NoSays it is contestedSources conflict

The Times of Israel reports IDF claims that 170 killed journalists had militant affiliations, while CPJ as reported by the Washington Post found only 19 were militants or combatants.

Short answer: No—there isn’t independent evidence that a majority were members of terrorist organizations.

What we know

•After a months‑long audit finished on September 24, 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) removed 19 previously listed Palestinians after determining they were militants or had participated in combat; it also removed a small number for non‑journalism reasons. That is far short of a majority of the Gazan journalists and media workers killed since October 7, 2023.[1]

•By contrast, Israel’s military recently published a list (October 1, 2026) naming 170 of the dead as members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or other armed groups, and an Israeli research institute (Meir Amit/ITIC) previously claimed about 60% had such affiliations. These are claims by parties or aligned institutions and have not been independently verified; some journalistic reviews have challenged parts of the IDF’s list and evidence.[2]

•Press‑freedom groups also caution that employment by or alignment with a partisan outlet is not the same as taking part in hostilities; under international law, journalists are civilians unless they directly participate in combat.[1]

Bottom line: Independent watchdogs do not find that a majority of Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023 were terrorists; a smaller subset were later identified as militants/participants in combat. Government and aligned NGO claims of a “majority” remain disputed and unverified by independent bodies.[1]

Citations (2)

1washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Rights group says some people it classified as journalists killed in Gaza were militants - The Washington Post
Backs: “That is far short of a majority of the Gazan journalists and media workers killed since October 7, 2023.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Independent watchdogs do not find a majority were terrorists; government and aligned NGO claims remain disputed and unverified.
2timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
IDF documents terror affiliations of 170 Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza war | The Times of Israel
Backs: “These are claims by parties or aligned institutions and have not been independently verified; some journalistic reviews have challenged parts of the IDF’s list and evidence.”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: Israel's military published a list naming 170 killed journalists as members of Hamas, PIJ or other armed groups; these claims are unverified and disputed.