Among the 23 journalists who have died in the three weeks since Israel has waged war against Hamas terrorists, six have allegedly worked for outlets run by Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Washington Free Beacon reported Tuesday.
According to a list compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the six are linked to media outlets Al-Aqsa TV, Sowt Al-Asra Radio, and Palestine Today.
In 2010, the U.S. government designated Al-Aqsa Television and other Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad outlets as terrorist groups because they are believed to be part of an effort by Hamas to "create institutions with the trappings of legitimacy that are, in fact, controlled by and used to support a terrorist organization."
In March 2010, the Treasury Department said, "Al-Aqsa is a primary Hamas media outlet and airs programs and music videos designed to recruit children to become Hamas armed fighters and suicide bombers upon reaching adulthood," according to the Daily Caller.
The CPJ list triggered accusations from anti-Israel activists who claim that Israel has been targeting legitimate media operations in Gaza.
Alex Safian, a research director for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting, has alleged the CPJ included individuals he described as "Hamas terrorists with press passes" on its list.
"CPJ claims to be investigating all reports of journalists killed, injured, detained, or missing in the war. But they show their pro-Hamas slant by listing Israeli journalist Roee Idan as missing when his funeral has already taken place," Safian told the Free Beacon. "He was murdered, as was his wife, and one of his children is still missing. However, [CPJ] seems much more engaged when it comes to listing Palestinian journalists, some of whom are Hamas terrorists with press passes."
Sowt Al-Asra, also known as Voice of Prisoners Radio, is funded by Palestinian Islamic Jihad and advocates for releasing individuals convicted of terrorism and imprisoned in Israel. In 2021, the U.S. government reportedly took control of the outlet's website as part of a broader crackdown on organizations with ties to Iran.
Palestine Today, another media outlet said to be under Palestinian Islamic Jihad's control, came under Israeli military scrutiny in 2016 after allegations of broadcasting messages promoting acts of terrorism.
Israel said more than 1,400 people were killed in the surprise terrorist attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, with more than 200 taken hostage. Some hostages have since been released. The latest media reports, citing the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health, indicated 5,087 people have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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