An infographic of the names of 254 journalists killed in the Strip since the start of the war (Anadolu Agency, October 8, 2025)
A cartoon by Mohammad Sabaaneh about the state of journalism in Gaza, claiming that at least 244 journalists and media personnel had been killed since the start of the war (Mohammad Sabaaneh’s Facebook page, August 25, 2025)
A notice for World Press Freedom Day, observed annually on May 3, claiming that Israel had killed more than 210 journalists since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip (al-Araby al-Jadeed, May 3, 2025).
A cartoon following the IDF’s exposure of Al Jazeera six journalists, led by Anas al-Sharif, as Hamas and PIJ military operatives (Hussein Zakout’s Facebook page, October 24, 2024).
A cartoon of Anas al-Sharif carrying “the burden of coverage along with displacement, hunger, and the loss of colleagues.” It is captioned, “Coverage on the way to Jerusalem” (Hussein Zakout’s Facebook page, March 25, 2025)
The Arabic reads, “In Gaza, a reporter mourns the death of his colleague and then joins him” (Alaa al-Laqta’s X account, March 25, 2025).
The Arabic reads, “A complex crime.” The Arabic on the hand holding the camera reads ‘Hassan Aslih’ (Alaa al-Laqta’s X account, May 14, 2025)
The word “PRESS” formed from body bags, a cartoon by Muhammad Sabaaneh, the house cartoonist of the Palestinian Authority’s al-Hayat al-Jadeeda, following the strike on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis on August 25, 2025, in which several journalists were killed (Mohammad Sabaaneh Facebook page, August 25, 2025)Overview[1]
Media personnel are extremely important for Hamas during confrontations and wars with Israel, regarding them as part of their propaganda machine in the battle for hearts and minds and anti-Israeli incitement. The terrorist organizations, headed by Hamas, operate many affiliated media outlets in the Strip which spread their propaganda and disinformation.
During the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre, some Hamas-affiliated journalists received advance notice of the attack, arrived at the border area and then entered Israeli communities near the border to broadcast live. Throughout the Gaza Strip War many journalists, authorized by Hamas, were observed closely covering combat zones.
Since Hamas’ attack and massacre on October 7, 2023 and throughout the Gaza Strip War (until November 30, 2025), the Hamas government media information office in the Gaza Strip has reported the deaths of 256 Palestinian media personnel, men and women. International organizations for the protection of journalists reported about 220 media personnel killed.
According to information examined by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center for the present study and the study published in February 2024, 266 individuals defined as “journalists and media personnel” were killed during the war in the Gaza Strip. The examination indicated that about 60% were members of or affiliated with terrorist organizations, primarily Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
Prominent in the investigation was the finding that many had double roles, they were both military operatives and media personnel. That was particularly obvious in the cooperation between Hamas and Qatar’s Al Jazeera network. Loyalty to a media outlet and a terrorist organization not only undermines trust in media personnel and the credibility of their reporting, but alters the status of journalists under international law and places them in danger, since military forces find it difficult to distinguish between journalists and military operatives.
Background
So far, beginning with the Hamas terrorist attack and massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the Gaza Strip War, the Hamas government media information office has reported 256 Palestinian journalists, male and female, and other media personnel (photographers, editors, etc.) killed in the Gaza Strip (as of November 30, 2025). The International Federation of Journalists reported that at least 225 journalists and media personnel had been killed (as of November 23, 2025), with several wounded and others missing (Federation website, November 23, 2025). According to data examined by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, of 266 individuals designated as journalists and media personnel who were killed (as of November 30, 2025), about 60% of them were members of or affiliated with terrorist organizations, primarily Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
The deaths of those designated as media personnel during the war sparked harsh criticism from Hamas. For example, in August 2025, following the deaths of five journalists in a strike on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Hamas claimed that Israel deliberately targeted media personnel “in a desperate attempt to silence the voice of truth [sic],” calling their deaths a “war crime” whose objective was to prevent journalists from reporting the “truth” and “dire conditions” in the Gaza Strip (Hamas Telegram channel, August 26, 2025). The PIJ also condemned the attacks on media personnel, claiming Israel was trying “to obscure the crimes of the occupation” (PIJ Telegram channel, December 26, 2024).
Right: A Hamas notice headed, “The assassination of journalists will not silence the voice of truth” (Hamas Telegram channel, August 26, 2025). Left: Hamas condemnation of the deaths of five media personnel (Hamas Telegram channel, August 25, 2025)
Hamas and the other terrorist organizations attach great importance to the role of journalists in wars and military confrontations with Israel, regarding them as part of their propaganda machine in the battle for hearts and minds and as providing general anti-Israeli incitement. Headed by Hamas, the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip operate many affiliated media outlets in the Strip. Hamas repeatedly states that the media war is no less important than the military one, and operates a network of prominent affiliated journalists who deal with propaganda and public messaging, message transmission, and reporting to Gazans and to audiences beyond the Gaza Strip. Some are correspondents who work simultaneously for foreign media outlets and for Hamas media channels. During the Gaza Strip War, many journalists were observed closely covering combat zones with the Hamas authorization and during the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre, some Hamas-affiliated journalists received advance notice of the attack and arrived at the border area and entered Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip border for live broadcasts of the fighting and atrocities.[2] The media personnel’s dual identify is not new, and in the past as well media personnel reported from the field while simultaneously serving as armed operatives of one terrorist organization or another. Combining their roles not only undermines trust in media personnel and the credibility of their reporting, but also alters the status of journalists under international law and places them in danger, as military forces find it difficult to distinguishbetween journalists and military operatives.
Right: A notice for World Press Freedom Day, observed annually on May 3, claiming that Israel had killed more than 210 journalists since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip (al-Araby al-Jadeed, May 3, 2025). Left: A cartoon by Mohammad Sabaaneh about the state of journalism in Gaza, claiming that at least 244 journalists and media personnel had been killed since the start of the war (Mohammad Sabaaneh’s Facebook page, August 25, 2025)
Qatar’s Al Jazeera plays a prominent role in Hamas’ propaganda and media apparatus, also used by Hamas for statements from its political and military leadership and for psychological warfare against Israel. Documents brought back from the Gaza Strip by IDF forces showed incontrovertible proof of the established, systematic, ongoing cooperation and media coordination between Hamas and al-Jazeera, during which Hamas instructed the network’s management how to cover issues related to the movement. In addition, Al Jazeera correspondents in the Gaza Strip, particularly Anas al-Sharif, were also operatives in Hamas’ military wing.[3] The Hamas response was “false claims by the occupation army,” allegedly open incitement paving the way for them to be attacked (Hamas Telegram channel, October 24,2024).
Cartoons by Gaza cartoonist Hussein Zakout. Right: A cartoon following the IDF’s exposure of Al Jazeera six journalists, led by Anas al-Sharif, as Hamas and PIJ military operatives (Hussein Zakout’s Facebook page, October 24, 2024). Left: A cartoon of Anas al-Sharif carrying “the burden of coverage along with displacement, hunger, and the loss of colleagues.” It is captioned, “Coverage on the way to Jerusalem” (Hussein Zakout’s Facebook page, March 25, 2025)
Cartoons by Alaa al-Laqta, Hamas’ house cartoonist. Right: The Arabic reads, “In Gaza, a reporter mourns the death of his colleague and then joins him” (Alaa al-Laqta’s X account, March 25, 2025). Left: The Arabic reads, “A complex crime.” The Arabic on the hand holding the camera reads ‘Hassan Aslih’ (Alaa al-Laqta’s X account, May 14, 2025)
The word “PRESS” formed from body bags, a cartoon by Muhammad Sabaaneh, the house cartoonist of the Palestinian Authority’s al-Hayat al-Jadeeda, following the strike on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis on August 25, 2025, in which several journalists were killed (Mohammad Sabaaneh Facebook page, August 25, 2025)
An infographic of the names of 254 journalists killed in the Strip since the start of the war (Anadolu Agency, October 8, 2025)
Methodology
The present study is an update of the initial study published by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center on February 20, 2024, which included details of 131 individuals, males and females, defined as journalists, and media personnel who, according to Hamas, had been killed since the start of the war on October 7, 2023. The current study examines the details of 135 individuals defined as media personnel killed from the publication of the previous study until November 30, 2025, with an attempt to find their organizational affiliation.[4] The study also examines data and organizational affiliation for all media personnel killed since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023. It is based on a list of media personnel published by the Hamas government media information office in the Gaza Strip, with additional names from publications in Palestinian media outlets. In total, the identities of 266 individuals defined as media personnel who were killed were examined (as of November 30, 2025).
Two criteria were used to determine the journalists’ organizational affiliation: clear information of membership in an organization or in its military wing, or employment by media outlets belonging to one of the organizations, indicating affiliation with the organization and activity on its behalf. Journalists with ties to Fatah and the Palestinian Authority were also examined. The study also identified several media personnel who, according to the information, served as military operatives, but whose organizational affiliation was not identified.
An appendix includes updates regarding individuals killed who were defined as media personnel and appeared in the first study, including verification of their affiliation with the military wings of armed organizations in the Gaza Strip.
For the purposes of the study, use was also made of a Hamas document brought back from the Gaza Strip which included details and roles of operatives in the Gaza Brigade of the military wing. The document was discovered by IDF forces during the ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip and is held by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center.
Findings and Analysis
An examination of each of 266 names of individuals defined as slain media personnel conducted by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center showed that at least 157 of them, or about 60%, were operatives or affiliated with terrorist organizations, primarily Hamas and PIJ as follows: 104 were identified as Hamas members, of whom at least 47 were members of the movement and/or military operatives; 45 were operatives or affiliated with the PIJ, of whom at least 18 were identified as members of the organization and/or military operatives. In addition, two operatives of Fatah’s military wing, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades,[5] were identified; two from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; one from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine; and one from the Popular Resistance Committees. Two media personnel were described after their deaths as military operatives, but whose organizational affiliation was not identified.
Of the remaining 109 killed, eight were identified as Fatah members, seven were identified with the Palestinian Authority, and for 94 others no affiliation whatsoever or affiliation with terrorist organizations was identified.
It was not the first time that unequivocal proof has found regarding journalists who also hold military roles in a terrorist organization and cover operations and wars while waging the battle over perception and incitement. At times, the reporters are operatives of the military units fighting in the field, or part of propaganda units of the various military organizations. However, they enjoy immunity as journalists while performing their duties. For example, many journalists who previously covered various operations in the Strip, as well as the return marches, were identified as actively participating in the events, and were identifiable by the PRESS vests they wore. There were also cases in which those wearing PRESS vests carried out attacks, secure in the knowledge that they were immune to attack by IDF forces.
Distribution of Organizational Affiliation of Media Personnel
[1] Update of the February 2024 ITIC report, More than half of the Palestinian journalists killed in the Gaza Strip during Operation Iron Swords were affiliated with terrorist organizations (Full version)
[2] For further information, see the December 2023 ITIC report, Photojournalists in the service of Hamas in the Gaza Strip
[3] For further information, see the October 2025 ITIC report, Documentary Evidence of Hamas-Al Jazeera Relations and Cooperation
[4] See Appendix A
[5] Terrorist organizations which split from Fatah and today have to ties to it.
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