IDF Reveals 170 Gaza "Journalists" Killed Were Hamas, Islamic Jihad Operatives

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Thursday it has identified 170 residents of the Gaza Strip, initially reported in international media as journalists killed during the "Swords of Iron" war, as operatives for terror organizations. According to the IDF spokesperson, these individuals were primarily affiliated with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The IDF provided a link with evidence, including documents, photographs, and visual materials allegedly from terror groups, along with battlefield evidence, to support its claims of their organizational ties and roles.

Of the 170 individuals listed, the IDF claims 118 were active in Hamas's military wing, 49 in Islamic Jihad, one in the "Lords of the Desert" organization, and two in the Popular Resistance Committees. The military also stated that 17 of those on the list participated in the October 7th attack on Israel. The IDF asserts that these materials demonstrate the deceased's affiliation with terror groups and their operational roles.

The IDF noted a pattern during the war where Hamas and Islamic Jihad posthumously confirmed the military affiliations of some individuals previously presented as journalists. In some instances, the IDF alleges, terror groups themselves identified these individuals as combatants or claimed them. This revelation comes amidst international criticism leveled against Israel over the deaths of Palestinian journalists in Gaza.

More than 40 of the cases on the IDF's list led to condemnations against Israel from the United Nations. Some individuals on the list concurrently worked for international news outlets, including Reuters, CNN, ABC Australia, BBC, AFP, AP, and Le Monde. The IDF contends this created a blurring of lines between legitimate journalists and individuals simultaneously serving as terror operatives.

The IDF stated that these findings highlight a discrepancy between how some of the deceased were presented internationally and the intelligence gathered on them. The military aims to demonstrate through this disclosure that its operations target terror organizations and their operatives, not journalists for their work. The IDF also addressed the "Nuseirat" film, which alleged an attack expected to kill hundreds of civilians, categorically denying it, stating, "We never planned, approved, or carried out an attack in which 500 civilians were expected to be killed." The IDF committed to continuing to release information and evidence to present a full picture of its operations in Gaza.