IDF Claims 170 Gaza 'Journalists' Were Terrorists

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Thursday that 170 individuals in Gaza, previously presented to the world as journalists killed in the conflict, were actually terrorists affiliated with Palestinian militant groups, primarily Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. This revelation comes in response to the "Nezah" film, which the IDF stated presents a distorted and unrealistic picture of the conflict.

The IDF released visual evidence and documents obtained from the militant organizations, indicating the individuals' affiliations and roles within the terror groups. Some of these documents were found on the battlefield. The military stated that this information demonstrates the gap between the international narrative and the reality on the ground, asserting that the IDF does not intentionally target journalists but rather militants, in accordance with international law.

A dedicated IDF website has been launched to present the names, photos, organizational affiliations, roles, and evidence concerning these 170 individuals. The IDF noted a recurring pattern where Hamas and Islamic Jihad have posthumously identified some casualties, initially presented as journalists, as militants within their military wings, particularly after narratives of intentional Israeli targeting of media personnel gained traction globally.

Of the 170 individuals, 118 were active in Hamas's military wing, 49 in Islamic Jihad, one in the "Lions of the Desert" group, and two in the Popular Resistance Committees. Notably, 17 of these individuals participated in the October 7th attacks on Israel. The IDF also stated that the elimination of over 40 of these individuals, who served as terrorists, led to UN condemnations against Israel.

Some of these individuals worked for international media outlets including Reuters, CNN, ABC Australia, BBC, AFP, AP, and Le Monde. The IDF claims that the narrative of Israel intentionally harming journalists has been a frequently cited argument against Israel, appearing in reports by global media, human rights organizations, institutions, and politicians, without distinguishing between legitimate journalists and those also acting as militants.