Full Report
Scroll down ↓ Drone footage captured in March 2023 and March 2025, shows destruction in Gaza’s Jabalia/Jabaliya Refugee Camp. Credit: Shadi Al-Tabatiby and Forbidden Stories/Stringer. Scroll Down to view interactive photogrammetry produced for this story; you can expand both models to view them in full screen mode and explore them for yourself.According to the Committee […] The post Shot From Above: The Dangerous Work of Drone Journalists in Gaza appeared first on bellingcat.
Analysis Summary
# Morning News Roll-up March 20, 2025
## Overview
This report analyzes the targeted physical and operational threats against drone journalists in Gaza. It highlights a pattern of strikes against media personnel shortly after the deployment of commercial drones for damage assessment and investigative reporting, raising significant concerns regarding the classification of civilian equipment as military targets.
## Top Stories
### Targeted Strikes on Drone Journalists in Gaza
- **Summary:** Investigative findings indicate that Palestinian journalists, including Abdallah Al-Hajj and others, have been killed or severely injured in IDF strikes shortly after operating drones for news gathering. The investigation explores the "dual-use" nature of commercial drones, which the IDF often classifies as hostile threats despite their use by accredited press.
- **Source:** hxxps://www[.]bellingcat[.]com/news/2025/03/shot-from-above-the-dangerous-work-of-drone-journalists-in-gaza/
### Systematic Destruction of Civil Infrastructure
- **Summary:** Collaborative photogrammetry and satellite analysis reveal that approximately 300,000 homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. The data indicates that 95% of hospitals are non-functional, emphasizing the reliance on aerial journalism to document the extent of humanitarian impact.
- **Source:** hxxps://thedocs[.]worldbank[.]org/en/doc/133c3304e29086819c1119fe8e85366b-0280012025/original/Gaza-RDNA-final-med[.]pdf
### Legal and Operational Challenges of Civilian Drone Use
- **Summary:** Legal experts highlight a lack of "due diligence" in distinguishing between civilian drone operators and combatants. Under International Humanitarian Law, the burden of proof lies with the combatant to ensure a civilian object is not being targeted, yet reports suggest a systemic assumption of Hamas affiliation for journalists using aerial technology.
- **Source:** hxxps://cpj[.]org/2025/02/journalist-casualties-in-the-israel-gaza-conflict/
# Physical Threat Assessment: Gaza Drone Journalism
## Key Points
- **Deadliest Year for Press:** 2024-2025 recorded the highest number of journalist casualties since 1992, with at least 165 Palestinian journalists killed.
- **Correlation of Activity to Strikes:** Journalists reported being targeted specifically after launching drones to film destruction in areas like Al-Shati and Jabalia.
- **Dual-Use Technology Dilemma:** The use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) drones by media complicates identification, as similar models are utilized by armed groups for reconnaissance.
- **Accountability Gaps:** The IDF maintains that operational directives are classified, preventing independent verification of engagement rules regarding drone-operating civilians.
## Threat Actors
- **Primary Kinetic Actor:** Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
- **Secondary Factor:** Non-state armed groups whose use of similar COTS drones for propaganda and targeting creates a high-risk environment for civilian operators.
## TTPs
- **Kinetic Strikes:** Precision airstrikes or ground-based fire targeting individuals operating drone controllers.
- **Visual Identification (VID):** Identification of drone flight paths to backtrack to the operator's physical location.
- **Classification Bias:** Presumption of military intent for any unauthorized aerial platform in a conflict zone.
## Affected Systems
- **Hardware:** Commercial drones (Agisoft Metashape and Cesium were used for post-event 3D modeling).
- **Entities:** International and local media outlets (AFP, UNRWA, Bellingcat, Forbidden Stories).
- **Infrastructure:** Healthcare facilities (95% non-functional) and residential blocks (300,000 units).
## Mitigations
- **Deconfliction Protocols:** Establishing clear communication channels between media organizations and military commands to register flight times and locations.
- **Visual Marking:** Using "PRESS" identifiers on drone hardware and operator vests (though effectiveness is currently limited in the Gaza theater).
- **Independent Investigations:** Calling for third-party probes into journalist deaths to address impunity and refine Rules of Engagement (ROE).
## Conclusion
The use of drones for journalism in active conflict zones currently carries a near-lethal risk due to the lack of technical and procedural distinction between civilian and military operators. Without specific deconfliction and adherence to International Humanitarian Law regarding "dual-use" objects, journalists remain high-priority targets for kinetic engagement.