Israel disputes status of 170 Gaza media workers killed
Israeli military says they were militants, while press watchdog CPJ uses different criteria.
The Israeli military has published a list of 170 Palestinians killed during the war in Gaza who were described internationally as journalists or media workers. According to Israel, they were also active in armed organisations, but that classification has not been independently established for all individuals.
The list appeared on Thursday on a special website of the Israel Defense Forces. The military says that, following a lengthy investigation, it established that those involved were mainly linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Israel is using the list to rebut earlier allegations that it deliberately attacks journalists.
The publication touches on an existing disagreement over when someone should be registered as a journalist. In wars, media workers may work for local organisations with political or military ties. That does not automatically invalidate their journalistic role, but an active military function may have consequences for their protected status under the laws of war.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published its own review last week. The organisation removed nineteen Palestinians from its list of journalists and media workers because, according to new research, they were militants or had taken part in fighting. It also removed three names because their journalistic role could not be established, while six other cases were added again.
Following that review, CPJ retains 191 Palestinian journalists and media workers who, according to the organisation, were killed by Israeli fire. The organisation says it assesses whether someone carried out journalistic work, not whether that person held a particular political conviction or had ties to an organisation. CPJ therefore does not automatically confirm the Israeli account of the 170 names.
The reliability of both lists is difficult to test fully independently. Foreign journalists have been unable to enter Gaza freely since the beginning of the war, meaning that much information depends on local sources, documents and subsequent investigation. The new list is therefore newsworthy as an important Israeli claim and as part of the debate over journalistic protection, but not as evidence for every individual case.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The IDF published a list of 170 names and linked them to armed organisations.
- CPJ amended its own list and removed nineteen people because of indications of militant involvement.
- The precise status of all those involved has not been independently established.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that military claims about journalists should not be used without independent investigation to justify attacks or restrictions on press freedom.
Values Press freedom, the protection of civilians and independent oversight of state power.
Consequences Fears that journalists in conflict zones will become less safe and that criticism of military operations will be dismissed as propaganda.
Centre
Arguments Wants to distinguish for each person between journalistic work, political affiliation and actual participation in fighting, with a transparent burden of proof.
Values The rule of law, professional verification and the protection of independent reporting.
Consequences Expects classifications to continue changing for the time being as long as access to Gaza remains restricted.
Right
Arguments Emphasises that armed groups may use the media for propaganda and that active militants should not receive protection as civilians.
Values National security, combating terrorism and the accountability of media organisations.
Consequences Fears that overly broad definitions of journalism will unfairly cast military operations and security measures as suspect.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core consists of verifiable publications by the IDF and CPJ, supplemented by AP. Unproven military classifications are consistently attributed as claims.
- confirmed The IDF published a list of 170 Gazans killed who, according to Israel, had been presented as journalists but also held militant roles. — This is stated in the IDF publication. source
- confirmed CPJ removed nineteen people from its earlier journalist count because they were militants or participants in fighting. — AP describes CPJ's review. source
- confirmed After the review, CPJ counted 191 Palestinian journalists and media workers killed by Israeli fire. — This figure appears in AP's report on CPJ's review. source
- uncertain The IDF's classification of all 170 individuals has been independently proven. — The available sources show the Israeli claim, but no complete independent verification for each person. source
- confirmed Foreign journalists cannot enter Gaza freely. — AP describes the restriction on independent access to Gaza. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the IDF published a list of 170 names and that CPJ revised its own list. The military classification of all 170 individuals has not been independently confirmed.Sources
- The Press Files — Israel Defense Forces
- Rights group says some people it classified as journalists killed in Gaza were actually militants — Associated Press
- Israel-Gaza War — Committee to Protect Journalists