Committee To Protect Journalists Laments Palestinian Reporters ‘Murdered,’ Downplays Israelis Killed

A prominent group promoting freedom of the press lamented the Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks, but it did not show that same passion for Israeli journalists killed by Hamas last year.

The Committee to Protect Journalists is an American nonprofit whose data on journalists killed or imprisoned is frequently cited by the media.

The group lists journalists who have been killed in three categories — “murdered,” killed in “crossfire,” or killed on a “dangerous assignment.”

Many Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli strikes are listed as “murdered.” For example, Al Jazeera reporter Ismail Al Ghoul, whom the IDF stated worked for Hamas, and his cameraman Rami Al Refee, who were killed in July by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, are both listed as murdered. So is another Al Jazeera journalist, Hamza Al Dahdouh, and freelance video journalist Mustafa Thuraya, whom the IDF stated was a Hamas commander. The IDF’s assertions were disputed by Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, none of the Israeli journalists who were killed during Hamas’ brutal attacks on October 7 last year are listed as being “murdered” but rather as being killed by a “political group” while on a “dangerous assignment.”

Several Israeli journalists who were killed by Hamas in their homes along with their families are listed this way, and so are several who were killed by Hamas while dancing at the Supernova rave party near Reim.

Yaniv Zohar, an Israeli photographer for Israel Hayom, was murdered by Hamas in his home on October 7, along with his wife and two daughters. The Committee said the outlet’s editor-in-chief told them Zohar was “about to leave his home to cover the assault but was unable to do so.” Nevertheless, the Committee lists him as killed by a “political group” while on a “dangerous assignment.”

Likewise, Roee Idan, an Israeli photographer for Ynet, was murdered by Hamas while holding his three-year-old daughter in his own yard on October 7. His wife was murdered inside their home, and his two other children, ages six and nine, spent 14 hours in the safe room with their mother’s body. The Committee lists him as killed by a “political group” while on a “dangerous assignment,” noting that he had taken pictures and video of Hamas paragliders and Gaza rockets before he was killed.

Since Hamas’ attacks on October 7, the war has taken an “unprecedented toll on Gazan journalists,” the Committee said in its latest report.

“Journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict, including devastating Israeli airstrikes, famine, the displacement of 90% of Gaza’s population, and the destruction of 80% of its buildings,” the group said.

The group accused Israeli forces of directly targeting and killing at least five journalists and called for “an end to the longstanding pattern of impunity in cases of journalists killed by” the Israel Defense Forces.

Israel Defense Forces officials have said they do not intentionally target journalists but have warned they cannot guarantee journalists’ safety during the war.