Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Activities

• CPJ maintains and regularly updates a public database of individuals it identifies as journalists and media workers killed in relation to the Israel-Gaza war and cites this database extensively in its advocacy targeting Israel. However, a review of CPJ’s casualty listings indicates that numerous persons identified as journalists were in fact members of terrorist organizations and/or participants in hostilities.
• In August 2025, The Wall Street Journal noted that, of the 192 purported journalists then listed in CPJ’s Gaza database, 26 were employed by or freelanced for Al-Aqsa TV, which CPJ itself characterized as “Hamas-affiliated”; 19 others worked for Al-Quds Al-Youm, which the U.S. State Department has identified as being “run by Islamic Jihad”; 7 were employed by Palestine Today, which CPJ acknowledges is “pro–Islamic Jihad.”
• An analysis conducted by HonestReporting, reviewing the backgrounds of the 212 individuals listed by CPJ as journalists killed in Gaza, found that 63 (approximately 30%) worked for media outlets affiliated with terror groups in Gaza, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.¹
  • HonestReporting also found that some persons included in CPJ’s casualty database were themselves members of the terror groups, including serving in operational or combat roles. Based on official statements, publicly available information, and open-source  analysis, HonestReporting identified 42 individuals (approximately 20% of CPJ’s list) as members of terror groups.²
• A CAMERA analysis of CPJ data uncovered at least 16 additional “media workers” who were either mourned by their families and friends as combatants (usually “Jihad fighters”) or appeared in social media carrying arms or sporting Hamas or Islamic Jihad uniforms.
• Following  extensive criticism of a New York Times article promoting incendiary anti-Israel allegations of sexual abuse, which used CPJ as a source, CPJ quietly removed six names from its Gaza “journalist casualties” database. According to media reports, those removed included a member of Hamas’ Jabalia Battalion, an Islamic Jihad operative, a commander in the Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, and three additional jihadist militants.

Examples of Armed Group Members Included by CPJ in Its Journalist Database

• Anas Al-Sharif
  • According to statements by the Israel Defense Forces, Anas Al-Sharif was a member of Hamas and linked to a unit involved in rocket operations.
  • On October 7, 2023, Al-Sharif posted on Telegram, “9 hours and the heroes are still roaming the country killing and capturing…God, God, how great you are.”
  • Al-Sharif appeared in a photograph together with late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
  • In August 2025, CPJ board member Lydia Polgreen published an op-ed in The New York Times claiming that Anas al-Sharif was not affiliated with Hamas and dismissing Israel’s evidence as “non-credible.”
• Muhammed Washah
  • Mohamed Washah was a commander in Hamas’s military wing.
  • According to the IDF, documents recovered in Gaza revealed that “Washah was a “prominent commander” in Hamas’s anti-tank missile unit, and in late 2022 began to work in research and development for the terror group’s air unit.” 
  • Wishah also posted pictures of himself with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
  • According to CPJ, “A source close to Hamas, who requested anonymity, citing fear of reprisal, confirmed to CPJ that Washah was never affiliated with Hamas’ brigades and that the images shared by Israeli sources were likely fabricated. CPJ could not determine the authenticity of the images.”
• Hamza al Dahdouh
  • According to the IDF, while al-Dahdouh “disguised himself as a journalist and cameraman for Al-Jazeera, in practice, Hamza Wael al-Dahdouh, is a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist, and was involved in the organization’s terrorist activities.” 
  • Documents found by IDF troops in Gaza reveal his role in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and his previous role as a deputy commander in the Zeitun Battalion’s Rocket Array. 
  • Al Dahdouh’s name was also featured on a list of operatives from Islamic Jihad’s electronic engineering unit. 
  • On October 7, al-Dahdouh posted on social media images of Hamas parading in Gaza stating, “The hummer arrived in Gaza,” and images of Israelis attempting to escape the Nova festival, captioning, “Settlers’ escape from the Gaza envelope.”
• Mohamed Manhal Abu Armana
  • Abu Armana worked as a photographer for pro-Hamas news agency Palestine Now. 
  • He was killed in the strike that targeted Hamas leader Mohammed Deif and was mourned as a member of the Rafah Brigade’s military media department. 
  • He was identified by Hamas as a field commander and appeared in a video produced by the terror group.
• Saleh Aljafarawi
  • On October 7, 2023, Aljafarawi posted a video of himself cheering against the backdrop of rockets fired toward Israel from near his home.
  • Aljafarawi was killed in October 2025 while attached to a Hamas squad conducting an operation against an anti-Hamas clan.
• Assem Kamal Moussa
  • He reportedly served as a combatant member of Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades.
  • In February 2025, Kamal Moussa was mourned as a “mujahid” of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. He was also praised as one of the “lions on the battlefield” and a “lion of the front lines.”
  • In May 2023, Kamal Moussa posted a picture of Hamas rockets launched at Israel, writing, “And you are on your way to transfer the occupier’s life to the sanctuaries of hell.”
  • In April 2022, following a mass shooting in Tel Aviv, Kamal Moussa wrote, “Hit Tel Aviv. Hit it.”

2024 Funding to CPJ (latest available data)