Story perspectives

IDF Says 170 Gaza ‘Journalists’ Were Hamas Operatives

By Drooid · Oct 1, 2026, 11:12 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said 170 Gaza deaths previously labeled journalists were actually Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives.
The IDF cited internal documents and recovered materials to verify the operatives’ affiliations.
The military released names, roles and ID numbers of ten individuals, some employed by Reuters, Anadolu Agency and Palestine Now.
Several of the identified operatives participated in the October 7 attack on Israel.
On September 29, 2026, the IDF said airstrikes killed Hamas money-exchange leader Shadi Abu Hasira and Northern Gaza Brigade commander Izz al-Din Bik.

History

Historical Context

In March 2003 the U.S. military began embedding 775 reporters, requiring them to hide unit locations, a policy highlighted when freelancer Philip Smucker disclosed a Marine position and was expelled. The practice drew criticism after April 8 attacks killed three journalists and later led the Department of Defense in 2003 to reclassify twelve dead correspondents as combatants, a precedent echoed in Israel’s 2026 IDF disclosure.

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Story summary

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said 170 Gaza deaths previously labeled journalists were actually Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives.
The IDF cited internal documents and recovered materials to verify the operatives’ affiliations.
The military released names, roles and ID numbers of ten individuals, some employed by Reuters, Anadolu Agency and Palestine Now.
Several of the identified operatives participated in the October 7 attack on Israel.
On September 29, 2026, the IDF said airstrikes killed Hamas money-exchange leader Shadi Abu Hasira and Northern Gaza Brigade commander Izz al-Din Bik.

1 / 2