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

Short answer: This claim is disputed — it comes from Israeli government and Israeli-affiliated sources, and has been challenged by press freedom organizations.

The claim and its source:
The 60% figure originates from the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, an Israeli research institute. A study asserts that a majority of Gaza-based journalists killed since the outbreak of the current war were operatives in, or closely affiliated with, terrorist organizations, primarily Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, after examining 266 individuals identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and November 30, 2025. Specifically, at least 157 of them — roughly 60 percent — were members of terror groups or clearly affiliated with them, including 104 linked to Hamasand 45 to Islamic Jihad.

Separately, in October 2026 the Israeli military released a database identifying 170 Palestinians killed during the Gaza war who it claims were at one point members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terrorist organizations — despite being members of the media or journalists. The military said 118 of those identified were members of Hamas' military wing, while 49 were members of PIJ.

Important caveats and pushback:

1.Methodology concerns: The report acknowledged that its list includes individuals whose organizational ties were unclear or unverified. The IDF's own database does not consistently establish whether an individual was simultaneously working as a journalist and serving in a military or organizational role.

2.Press freedom groups dispute the allegations: Reporters Without Borders has pushed back, stating "Journalists are not terrorists and the mere publication of these documents doesn't constitute proof of their affiliation nor does it give Israel the license to kill."

3.Broad definition of "affiliation": The Israeli studies use an expansive definition — the Meir Amit Center argues that media workers employed by Hamas-run or Hamas-affiliated outlets cannot be considered independent journalists, contending that employment in a Hamas-operated outlet constitutes organizational affiliation. Critics argue this conflates working for a Hamas-linked outlet with being a combatant.

4.CPJ's independent review: The Committee to Protect Journalists has conducted its own review and in June 2026 removed 20 names from its list of journalists and media workers killed, including eight individuals it determined were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad; a further nineteen were removed in September 2026 — a far smaller fraction than the 60% claimed by Israeli sources.

5.Disputed cases: Family members of those named dispute the IDF's claims. One family member of a journalist on the IDF's list said: "If Israel has clear evidence that he was a fighter, why doesn't it publish independent, verifiable proof?"

6.No independent verification: Because the FPA has also been highly critical of Jerusalem over its refusal to allow independent journalists into Gaza for nearly three years, leaving only locally based Gazans to report from inside the Strip, there is no independent foreign media presence to verify claims from either side.

Bottom line: The "majority were linked to terrorist organizations" claim is real and comes from a specific Israeli study (and is echoed by the IDF's own more recent database), but it is not an independently or universally verified fact — it rests on Israeli intelligence assessments and a broad definition of "affiliation" that press freedom organizations and some media outlets contest. Independent bodies like CPJ have confirmed a much smaller number of such cases after their own review.

Citations (11)

1timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Majority of journalists killed in Gaza linked to terror organizations, study says | The Times of Israel
Source excerpt: “(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) A new study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center asserts that a majority of Gaza-based journalists...”
2timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Majority of journalists killed in Gaza linked to terror organizations, study says | The Times of Israel
Source excerpt: “According to the center, at least 157 of them — roughly 60 percent — were members of terror groups or clearly affiliated with them, including 104 link...”
3jewishinsider.comNews and media
IDF report identifies 170 Palestinian ‘journalists’ killed during Gaza war affiliated with terrorist groups
Source excerpt: “The Israeli military on Thursday released a database identifying 170 Palestinians killed during the Gaza war who it claims were at one point members o...”
4jewishinsider.comNews and media
IDF report identifies 170 Palestinian ‘journalists’ killed during Gaza war affiliated with terrorist groups
Source excerpt: “· The military said 118 of those identified were members of Hamas’ military wing, while 49 were members of PIJ. ”
5timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Majority of journalists killed in Gaza linked to terror organizations, study says | The Times of Israel
Source excerpt: “Still, the report acknowledged that its list includes individuals whose organizational ties were unclear or unverified. ”
6jewishinsider.comNews and media
IDF report identifies 170 Palestinian ‘journalists’ killed during Gaza war affiliated with terrorist groups
Source excerpt: “· The database, however, does not consistently establish whether an individual was simultaneously working as a journalist and serving in a military or...”
7wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
Killing of journalists in the Gaza war - Wikipedia
Source excerpt: “Reporters Without Borders found inconsistencies with Israel's allegations and stated, "Journalists are not terrorists and the mere publicati...”
8timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Majority of journalists killed in Gaza linked to terror organizations, study says | The Times of Israel
Source excerpt: “The Meir Amit Center argues that media workers employed by Hamas-run or Hamas-affiliated outlets cannot be considered independent journalists.Its rese...”
9wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
Killing of journalists in the Gaza war - Wikipedia
Source excerpt: “In June 2026, the CPJ made public that it removed 20 names from its list of journalists and media workers killed during the Israel–Gaza war, including...”
10newarab.comNews and media
Israel attempts to frame Gaza reporters it killed as 'militants'
Source excerpt: “"If Israel has clear evidence that he was a fighter, why doesn't it publish independent, verifiable proof?”
11timesofisrael.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Finally naming their war dead, Gazan terror groups admit some slain journalists were fighters | The Times of Israel
Source excerpt: “The FPA has also been highly critical of Jerusalem over its refusal to allow independent journalists into Gaza for nearly three years, leaving only lo...”