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

Both sidesSays it is contestedSources conflict

Israeli sources (IDF, Meir Amit Center) claim around 60% of killed journalists were linked to terror groups, while CPJ says about 90% of those it tracks were non-combatant civilians.

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 largely depends on which organization's data is used and how "linked to" is defined—specifically, whether it refers to active combatants/military operatives or individuals employed by Hamas-run and politically affiliated media outlets.

There are two primary, conflicting perspectives on this issue:

1. The Israeli Military and Intelligence Perspective

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli research groups argue that a significant portion, and potentially a majority, of the individuals identified as journalists killed in Gaza were active members of or affiliated with terrorist organizations.

•IDF Accusations: In October 2026, the IDF published an online database claiming that 170 Gazans killed during the conflict who had been presented as journalists were actually active members of terror organizations. According to the military's breakdown, 118 were active in Hamas’s military wing, 49 in Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and others in smaller factions. The IDF asserted that 17 of these individuals had actively participated in the October 7, 2023 attacks.

•Meir Amit Center Study: A comprehensive study published in December 2025 by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center analyzed 266 media workers reported killed in Gaza. It concluded that roughly 60% (157 individuals) were either members of terrorist organizations or worked for media outlets directly affiliated with them (such as the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV). The center noted a "dual identity" phenomenon, alleging that many individuals served as active military operatives while using "Press" insignia as cover.

2. The International Press Freedom and Humanitarian Perspective

International press freedom organizations, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), as well as United Nations bodies, reject the assertion that a majority of the killed journalists were legitimate military targets.

•International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Definitions: Under international law, journalists are classified as civilians and are protected from attack. They only lose this protected status if they "directly participate in hostilities" (i.e., engage in active combat). Working for a partisan, state-run, or Hamas-affiliated media network does not make a journalist a combatant under IHL.

•CPJ's 2026 Internal Audit: In mid-2026, following the release of official obituaries by Hamas and PIJ that claimed several previously listed journalists as fallen military combatants, the CPJ launched a comprehensive review of its database.

•Audit Results: In September 2026, CPJ concluded its audit and removed 22 individuals from its list. Of these, 19 were determined to have been combatants or members of militant groups, while three were found to be non-journalist civilians.

•Current Standing: Following this rigorous audit, CPJ maintained that 191 Palestinian journalists and media workers killed in Gaza were legitimate, non-combatant media personnel. This means that in the view of press freedom watchdogs, the vast majority (roughly 90%) of the killed journalists they track had no active combatant status and were protected civilians under international law.

Summary of the Disagreement

The division over this statistic centers on a fundamental disagreement regarding roles:

•Israel's view classifies anyone employed by Hamas-run media, having political ties to militant factions, or listed on internal Hamas payrolls as a "terrorist operative".

•International press watchdogs and legal experts argue that employment by politically biased media does not equal combat participation. While they have updated their lists to remove confirmed combatants (amounting to about 10% of their documented casualties), they maintain that the vast majority of those killed were legitimate journalists operating as civilians.

Citations (10)

1themedialine.orgNews and media
themedialine.org
Backs: “Whether a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7, 2023, were linked to terrorist organizations is a subject of intense dispute.”
background, article, neutral. Claim: Whether a majority of killed Gazan journalists were linked to terrorist organizations is intensely disputed.
2aipac.orgNonprofits and think tanks
aipac.org
Backs: “The answer largely depends on which organization's data is used and how "linked to" is defined—specifically, whether it refers to active combatants/military operatives or individuals employed by Hamas-run and politically affiliated media outlets.”
background, article, points to yes. Claim: The answer depends on whose data is used and how 'linked to' is defined (combatants versus employees of Hamas-affiliated outlets).
3timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
timesofisrael.com
Backs: “The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli research groups argue that a significant portion, and potentially a majority, of the individuals identified as journalists killed in Gaza were active members of or affiliated with terrorist organizations.”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: IDF and Israeli research groups argue a significant portion, potentially a majority, of killed journalists were members of or affiliated with terror groups.
4jpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.81
jpost.com
Backs: “The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli research groups argue that a significant portion, and potentially a majority, of the individuals identified as journalists killed in Gaza were active members of or affiliated with terrorist organizations.”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: IDF and Israeli research groups argue a significant portion, potentially a majority, of killed journalists were members of or affiliated with terror groups.
5ynetnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.80
ynetnews.com
Backs: “It concluded that roughly 60% (157 individuals) were either members of terrorist organizations or worked for media outlets directly affiliated with them (such as the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV). The center noted a "dual identity" phenomenon, alleging that many individuals served as active military operatives while using…”
statistic, article, points to yes. Claim: Meir Amit Center concluded roughly 60% (157 of 266) were terrorist members or worked for affiliated outlets such as Al-Aqsa TV.
6gijn.orgNot yet classified
gijn.org
Backs: “International press freedom organizations, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), as well as United Nations bodies, reject the assertion that a majority of the killed journalists were legitimate military targets. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Definitions: Under…”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Press freedom groups like CPJ and RSF and UN bodies reject the assertion that most killed journalists were legitimate military targets.
7apnews.comNews and mediaquality 1.00
apnews.com
Backs: “International press freedom organizations, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), as well as United Nations bodies, reject the assertion that a majority of the killed journalists were legitimate military targets. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Definitions: Under…”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Press freedom groups like CPJ and RSF and UN bodies reject the assertion that most killed journalists were legitimate military targets.
8imemc.orgNews and media
imemc.org
Backs: “International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Definitions: Under international law, journalists are classified as civilians and are protected from attack. They only lose this protected status if they "directly participate in hostilities" (i.e., engage in active combat).”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Under international law, journalists are civilians protected from attack.
9freepressunlimited.orgNot yet classified
freepressunlimited.org
Backs: “They only lose this protected status if they "directly participate in hostilities" (i.e., engage in active combat). Working for a partisan, state-run, or Hamas-affiliated media network does not make a journalist a combatant under IHL.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Journalists lose protected status only if they directly participate in hostilities.
10cpj.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cpj.org
Backs: “Working for a partisan, state-run, or Hamas-affiliated media network does not make a journalist a combatant under IHL. CPJ's 2026 Internal Audit: In mid-2026, following the release of official obituaries by Hamas and PIJ that claimed several previously listed journalists as fallen military combatants, the CPJ launched…”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Working for a partisan or Hamas-affiliated media network does not make a journalist a combatant under IHL.