'Grey Zone' How The IDF Views Some Journalists As Targets

Despite denials by Israel of deliberate targeting to silence critics, record number of media workers killedin Gaza

- Harry Davies, Manisha Ganguly and David Pegg

Israel's offensive in Gaza has become the deadliest conflict for journalists in recent history, but its military has repeatedly said it is not targeting the media. However, an investigation by the Guardian suggests that some in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) appear to have viewed journalists working in Gaza for outlets controlled by or affiliated with Hamas to be legitimate military targets. The investigation is part of the Gaza project, a collaboration led by the Paris-based non-profit Forbidden Stories, which has analysed the deaths of journalists in Gaza since Israel began its offensive.

The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) records at least 103 Palestinian journalists and media workers killed in the war in Gaza. Other lists suggest the number is higher.

Since foreign media are blocked by Israel from entering Gaza, the work of documenting the war on the ground has fallen to Palestinian journalists, many of whom work despite grave risks to their safety.

Given that Israel has dropped tens of thousands of bombs on a densely populated territory, it is inevitable so many journalists have been killed. But the high number has raised concerns among press freedom organisations that the IDF has deliberately sought to silence critical reporting. Among those listed by the CPJ as having been killed in Gaza since 7 October, about 30% worked for media outlets affiliated with or closely tied to Hamas.