Timeline

On July 1, 2023, Mohammad Jarghoun was identified by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades as a member of its Rafah Brigade’s Martyr Muhammad Abu Harb Battalion. Prior to its removal, the profile for Mohammad Jarghoun stated he was a 23-year-old reporter for Smart Media production company killed by Israeli fire while covering fighting near the Rafah crossing point on October 7, 2023. On June 10, 2026, the organization removed the name of Mohamed Nasr Abu Huwaidi from its list of journalists killed in connection with their work.

On the same date, it added an amendment to its article stating that it updates its registry on an ongoing basis as new information becomes available concerning journalists killed since October 7, 2023. On June 11, 2026, it removed the name of Mohammad Jarghoun from its database and list of Palestinian media workers killed in the October 7 War. By August 4, 2026, the Media Abuses Barometer listed 67 names of slain Gazan journalists.

What's New

UN Watch documented seven cases where UNESCO publicly identified Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives as journalists killed in Gaza, including Mohammad Jarghoun, despite subsequent acknowledgments by those groups that they were members of their military wings. The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (Camera) found that 55 out of 69 Gazans and Lebanese described as journalists in a BBC Arabic article had either supported the killing of Israelis or worked for outlets affiliated with militant groups. The Committee to Protect Journalists removed Mohamed Nasr Abu Huwaidi from its database after determining he participated in combat, citing evidence that he was a commander in the Al-Quds Brigades’ Central Military Media Unit. Mohammad Jarghoun was identified by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades as a member of its Rafah Brigade’s Martyr Muhammad Abu Harb Battalion on July 1, 2023. HonestReporting is pro-Israel media watchdog and advocacy group.

How Sources Differ

Regarding the status of Mohammad Jarghoun, UN Watch documented seven cases where UNESCO publicly identified Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives as journalists killed in Gaza, including Mohammad Jarghoun, despite subsequent acknowledgments by those groups that they were members of their military wings. In contrast, Reporters Without Borders removed the name of Mohammad Jarghoun from its database and list of Palestinian media workers killed in the October 7 War. Regarding Mohamed Nasr Abu Huwaidi, the Committee to Protect Journalists determined that he participated in combat and removed him from its database of journalists killed in the October 7 War.

Why It Matters

The removal of these names reflects ongoing disputes over the classification of individuals killed in the conflict and the criteria used by international monitoring groups. Reporters Without Borders states that journalists are listed only if their death or imprisonment is linked to their journalistic activity, a standard applied despite operational constraints such as the lack of independent access to the Gaza Strip. The revisions align with actions taken by other organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, which also removed Abu Huwaidi based on evidence of combat participation. These adjustments impact the statistical record of journalist casualties, a metric frequently cited in international media coverage.