Benaiah468
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- May 19, 2024
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A new in-depth study (Hebrew) by Israel's Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Centre concludes that a significant majority of those identified as journalists and media workers killed during the Gaza war were not neutral news gatherers, but belonged to terrorist organisations, including Hamas and "Palestinian" Islamic Jihad.
The study examined 266 "Palestinians" who were described as journalists or media workers in various press reports and official lists and who were killed between the outbreak of hostilities on Oct 7 2023 and the end of 2025. According to the findings, at least 157 of these victims, about 60 per cent, were members of terrorist organisations or had clear links to such organisations, including in roles involving both propaganda and operational activities.
Of these, 104 were affiliated with Hamas, 45 with "Palestinian" Islamic Jihad, and a smaller number with the armed wings of Fatah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of "Palestine", the Democratic Front for the Liberation of "Palestine", or the Popular Resistance Committees.
The analysis by the intelligence centre emphasises that these were not isolated or random cases. Rather, many of the individuals counted as journalists were involved in terrorist networks, they were employed by media companies run by Hamas or its allies, or were actively involved in military units. In a number of documented cases, individuals described as media professionals also acted as fighters or agents, reflecting a deliberate strategy by terrorist organisations to combine media work with operational objectives.
For decades, Hamas has invested heavily in its information apparatus and treats the media as a central front in its ideological and tactical campaigns. Its own publications and channels are strictly controlled by the movement and not by independent press associations, which reinforces the link between media work and political warfare.
International press freedom organisations and human rights groups have repeatedly cited the casualties among journalists in Gaza as evidence of disproportionate use of force or targeted attacks by Israeli forces. Last year, Reporters Without Borders claimed that Israel was responsible for a large proportion of journalist deaths worldwide, citing dozens of "Palestinian" media workers killed in the conflict. Such assessments have been used to portray Israel as particularly hostile to media workers.
However, the Intelligence Centre's study puts this portrayal into perspective by showing that a significant proportion of those identified as journalists were not independent or neutral reporters, but rather were affiliated with terrorist organisations. Many of those counted were associated with media outlets effectively controlled by Hamas or other militant factions, making them part of the political and military apparatus of those organisations rather than autonomous observers.
The category ‘journalist’ in Gaza can no longer be regarded as synonymous with neutrality without carefully examining the affiliation and role of each individual.
The study examined 266 "Palestinians" who were described as journalists or media workers in various press reports and official lists and who were killed between the outbreak of hostilities on Oct 7 2023 and the end of 2025. According to the findings, at least 157 of these victims, about 60 per cent, were members of terrorist organisations or had clear links to such organisations, including in roles involving both propaganda and operational activities.
Of these, 104 were affiliated with Hamas, 45 with "Palestinian" Islamic Jihad, and a smaller number with the armed wings of Fatah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of "Palestine", the Democratic Front for the Liberation of "Palestine", or the Popular Resistance Committees.
The analysis by the intelligence centre emphasises that these were not isolated or random cases. Rather, many of the individuals counted as journalists were involved in terrorist networks, they were employed by media companies run by Hamas or its allies, or were actively involved in military units. In a number of documented cases, individuals described as media professionals also acted as fighters or agents, reflecting a deliberate strategy by terrorist organisations to combine media work with operational objectives.
For decades, Hamas has invested heavily in its information apparatus and treats the media as a central front in its ideological and tactical campaigns. Its own publications and channels are strictly controlled by the movement and not by independent press associations, which reinforces the link between media work and political warfare.
International press freedom organisations and human rights groups have repeatedly cited the casualties among journalists in Gaza as evidence of disproportionate use of force or targeted attacks by Israeli forces. Last year, Reporters Without Borders claimed that Israel was responsible for a large proportion of journalist deaths worldwide, citing dozens of "Palestinian" media workers killed in the conflict. Such assessments have been used to portray Israel as particularly hostile to media workers.
However, the Intelligence Centre's study puts this portrayal into perspective by showing that a significant proportion of those identified as journalists were not independent or neutral reporters, but rather were affiliated with terrorist organisations. Many of those counted were associated with media outlets effectively controlled by Hamas or other militant factions, making them part of the political and military apparatus of those organisations rather than autonomous observers.
The category ‘journalist’ in Gaza can no longer be regarded as synonymous with neutrality without carefully examining the affiliation and role of each individual.
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