Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Releases Flawed Report Mislabeling Terror Operatives as Journalists
When PRESS Credentials Become a Cover for Terror
On February 11, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a report claiming that 2024 has been the deadliest year for journalists in the organization’s history, with nearly 70% of those killed allegedly targeted by Israel. However, a closer examination of the report reveals that many of the individuals CPJ identifies as "journalists" were, in fact, affiliated with or supporters of terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Hezbollah.
Terror Ties Among Those Listed as Journalists
Mustafa Thuraya and Hamza Al-Dahdouh are portrayed by CPJ as innocent media workers, but documents recovered in Gaza tell a different story. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) uncovered records proving that Thuraya held the position of Squad Deputy Commander in Hamas’ Gaza City Brigade, while Al-Dahdouh was a key figure in Islamic Jihad’s electronic engineering unit and formerly a deputy commander in IJ’s Zeitun Battalion. Despite these findings, CPJ dismisses the evidence as "unsubstantiated."
Ismail Al-Ghoul, another so-called journalist listed in the report, was eliminated by the IDF. Documents recovered from seized Hamas computers in Gaza show that as of 2021, Al-Ghoul was an engineer in the Hamas Gaza Brigade, directly aiding the terrorist group’s military efforts.
CPJ Commemorating Apparent Hezbollah-Affiliated Journalists
The CPJ report also criticizes Israel for eliminating three supposed journalists in Lebanon: Wissam Kassem, Ghassan Najjar, and Mohammed Reda. However, all three appear to be affiliated with Hezbollah. Al-Manar, Hezbollah’s official media channel—which has been specially designated by the U.S. as a “global terrorist entity television station”—published an article commemorating them as "martyrs." Furthermore, Al-Manar aired a broadcast of Qassem’s funeral, where his body was draped in Hezbollah flags, and footage from a Hezbollah rally shows him wearing a terrorist scarf, Despite this, CPJ fails to acknowledge Hezbollah’s role and continues to push a misleading narrative
CPJ’s Narrative Unraveled
The CPJ report attempts to paint a picture of widespread targeting of journalists by Israel, but the evidence suggests a different reality. Many of those listed as journalists were, in fact, active members of terrorist organizations. By misrepresenting these individuals, CPJ is not protecting journalism, it is whitewashing the activities of terrorist operatives.