By Pesach Benson • October 1, 2026
Jerusalem, 1 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday identified 10 Gazans killed during the war whom the military says were publicly identified as journalists or media workers while also serving as members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The IDF said some of the individuals were involved in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The military said it would release details of additional cases in the coming hours, including what it described as intelligence and other evidence of the individuals’ affiliations with the terrorist organizations.
An Israeli woman watches news on televisions inside a Tel Aviv electronics store on Sept. 25, 2024. Photo by Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL
According to the IDF, Mohammed Sami Abdullah Jarjoun was the first of the 10 individuals identified as having been publicly described as a journalist. Tarek al-Sayed Ismail Abu Sakhil was described as a journalist who was killed in the Shifa Hospital compound.
The death of Mohammed Manhal Ahmed Abu Armana prompted condemnation of Israel by the United Nations, while Yaqoub Anan Mohammed Borsh was described as the director-general of a radio station in the Gaza Strip.
The IDF said Mohammed Mahmoud Abd al-Aziz Abu Shariya was listed on a Reporters Without Borders memorial in France. Amro Nahed Abd al-Rahman Abu Ouda was described as a photographer for Reuters, while Mohammed Jamal Sabhi al-Thalathini was identified as a journalist for Al-Quds Al-Youm.
Abd al-Aziz Mohammed Ibrahim Hajjar was publicly described as a journalist, while Hassan Magdi Ibrahim Abu Warda was identified as the founder and director of the “Barq Gaza” news agency. Asem Adli Ahmed Borsh was cited in a complaint filed against Israel with the International Criminal Court.
The IDF has previously disclosed other cases of individuals it says worked as journalists while also serving in Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
One notable case involved Muhammad Washah, whom the military identified as a key figure in Hamas’ rocket and drone production headquarters. According to the IDF, Washah worked on producing drones, rockets and weapons and was involved in transferring weapons within the Gaza Strip.
Israeli authorities said that soldiers who found Washah’s laptop in northern Gaza discovered information indicating his involvement in Hamas’ anti-armor missile systems. The disclosure played a key role in Israel’s ban on Al Jazeera in 2024.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorists attacked communities and military positions in southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 252 people to the Gaza Strip.
