The IDF released evidence identifying 170 Gazans killed during the war, previously described internationally as journalists, as members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad military wings. The military published their names, roles and intelligence on a dedicated website, stating that 17 of them participated in the October 7, 2023 massacre.
The IDF's disclosure, first announced Thursday afternoon and expanded by evening, aims to counter international accusations that Israel deliberately targeted journalists. According to the military, 118 of the 170 individuals were operatives in Hamas's military wing, 49 in Palestinian Islamic Jihad, two in the Popular Resistance Committees, and one in the Mujahideen Brigades. Seventeen crossed into Israel on October 7, 2023, as part of the Hamas-led attack.
Some of those named had worked for international outlets including Reuters, CNN, ABC Australia, BBC, AFP, AP and Le Monde. The IDF established a dedicated English-language website with names, photographs, civil and military ID numbers, and documents recovered in Gaza that the military says demonstrate the individuals' dual roles. The military stated that in several cases, the terror organizations themselves had previously claimed the individuals as members.
As The Zioneer reported Thursday at 18:04, the publication follows a broader pattern in which Hamas and PIJ embedded operatives in civilian professions. The current list represents an expansion from an earlier IDF release of ten cases Thursday afternoon.
9 developments
- DevelopingBBC reviewing inclusion of 53 terror operatives on Gaza journalist casualty list – report
- StrongCPJ removes combatants from Gaza journalist casualty list; reports differ on exact number
- DevelopingGazan terror groups admit slain journalists were fighters; obituaries reveal Hamas, PIJ operatives
- DevelopingPress watchdog reviews Gaza casualty list over combatant links
Source and signal
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