by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – The BBC is reviewing its reporting on journalists killed during the Gaza war after an investigation found that 53 people described in its coverage as journalists had alleged links to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or other terrorist organizations.
The review follows an investigation by Britain’s Telegraph, which reported that some of those identified by the BBC as journalists were later commemorated by terrorist organizations as members or “martyrs,” while others appeared in photographs or videos wearing military uniforms, carrying weapons, or displaying symbols associated with armed groups.
Most of the cases appeared in BBC Arabic coverage. According to the investigation, 43 of the 53 were described as journalists only by BBC Arabic, while 10 also appeared as journalists in the BBC’s English-language reporting. The BBC Arabic list, last updated in August 2025, contained more than 180 Palestinians identified as journalists killed during the conflict.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has separately removed 12 individuals from its casualty database after determining they either participated in combat or did not qualify under its criteria as journalists or media workers.
Among the most serious cases is Abdullah Darwish, whom BBC Arabic identified as a cameraman for Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV. According to the Telegraph investigation, evidence reviewed by CPJ indicated Darwish was a member of Hamas’ Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades and participated in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. CPJ subsequently removed him from its database.
Another individual, Rizq Abu Shakian, was described by the BBC as a journalist for Palestine Now but reportedly appeared in footage wearing Hamas military clothing and carrying a rifle. Terrorist organizations also reportedly issued death notices for at least 20 of the 53 people identified in the investigation.
The evidence varies significantly among the 53 cases, however, and the available reporting does not independently establish that every person identified was a combatant.
The BBC confirmed that it is examining the cases following CPJ’s updated findings, saying its earlier reporting reflected information available at the time.
“In light of the CPJ’s June 2026 update, we are looking at those included in the piece and in our wider reporting as relevant,” a BBC spokesperson said.
The disclosures are likely to intensify scrutiny of how international news organizations distinguish between civilian journalists, employees of media organizations affiliated with terrorist groups, and individuals who may simultaneously perform media work and participate in armed activity during the Gaza war.
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