IDF publishes evidence linking 170 Gaza journalists to Hamas, Islamic Jihad

The IDF has published evidence showing that 170 journalists killed in the war were also terrorist operatives working for Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The IDF published this information after retrieving multiple sources of intelligence that uncovered their connection to the terrorist organizations.

"The information currently presented illustrates the gap between the picture portrayed to the world and the reality on the ground," the IDF said.

Several of the exposed journalist-operatives were particularly well known in the West such as Hassan Aslih, who worked as a journalist for several large Western news organizations, such as AP and CNN.

Aslih is well known for his videos from October 7 showing him embedded within Hamas terrorists after breaking through the border fence as well as a pre-war photo showing him kissing Yahya Sinwar. He was identified as a military-media operative in the Hamas Khan Younis Brigade. Aslih was killed in an Israeli strike in May 2025.

Another notable journalist was Anas al-Sharif, who worked as a journalist for Al Jazeera and was a regular presence on its broadcasts from Gaza. Sharif received the Pulitzer Prize in 2024 for his team's "raw and urgent" photos documenting the Gaza war. Sharif was identified as a Hamas company-level military officer in the Artillery Company, Northern Gaza Brigade, by documents found in Gaza. The documents identify him as being a cell leader in a rocket company as well as a soldier since at least 2013. He was killed in an Israeli strike in August 2025.

Wael Fanuna is more recognisable to Arabic speakers. He was the general manager ofAl-Quds TV, one of the main channels in Gaza. Fanuna was identified as the first deputy commander in Islamic Jihad's Combat Information Unit. Fanuna was a key part of Islamic Jihad's disinformation campaign during the war. Fanuna was killed by an Israeli airstrike in January 2024.

For the full list of all 170 operatives posing as jouranlists.