# Media and journalist controversies in Gaza conflict > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/media-and-journalist-controversies-in-gaza-conflict > Updated: 2026-08-28T05:16:00.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2. Disputes regarding the status and safety of journalists in the Gaza conflict have emerged alongside broader critiques of media coverage. Initial controversies centered on the identity of deceased press members, with claims from organizations like HonestReporting suggesting some individuals identified as journalists were actually Hamas terrorists. This led to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) modifying or withdrawing certain war crime complaints to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Al Jazeera conducting internal dismissals of several Palestinian employees. Subsequent criticism has focused on the ethics of Western media reporting. Critics, including Chris Hedges, have alleged that major outlets facilitate the situation in Gaza through censorship and the use of deceptive language. These critiques claim that media organizations use passive phrasing to avoid accountability and have allegedly been instructed to avoid specific terms such as ‘Palestine’, ‘carnage’, or ‘massacre’ when referencing Palestinians. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-28: Media criticism regarding coverage of Gaza genocide Chris Hedges criticizes Western media for facilitating the Gaza genocide through censorship, dehumanizing language, and the use of passive voice to avoid holding actors accountable for international law Violat- 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/media-criticism-regarding-coverage-of-gaza-genocide ### 2026-08-14: Journalist status controversies emerge amid Gaza conflict Claims have surfaced that individuals identified as journalists in Gaza were actually Hamas terrorists, leading to shifts in legal complaints filed by Reporters Without Borders at the ICC. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/journalist-status-controversies-emerge-amid-gaza-conflict --- Cite as: Media and journalist controversies in Gaza conflict. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/media-and-journalist-controversies-in-gaza-conflict