Record 129 journalists and media workers killed in 2025, mostly by Israel
A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, making it the second consecutive year to see the highest number of press fatalities, according to a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The New York-based media watchdog said the sharp rise reflects growing risks faced by reporters working in conflict zones and politically volatile regions.
The organisation reported that Israel accounted for the majority of the deaths, with 86 journalists killed by Israeli fire, most of them Palestinians covering the war in Gaza. The report noted that restricted access to conflict areas, particularly in Gaza, has made independent verification difficult and the true number of casualties could be higher.
Many of the journalists killed were local reporters documenting the humanitarian impact of the conflict. CPJ said Israel was responsible for 81 percent of the 47 killings classified as deliberate or targeted attacks, raising concerns about press safety in war zones.
Among the deadliest incidents was an Israeli strike on a Houthi-linked media facility in Yemen that killed 31 media workers. CPJ described the attack as the second-largest single loss of media personnel ever recorded by the organisation.
Israel’s military has said its operations target militants and military infrastructure, stressing that combat environments pose unavoidable risks. It acknowledged striking the Yemen facility, describing it as part of Houthi propaganda operations.
Israeli authorities have in several cases claimed that journalists killed in Gaza had links to militant groups, allegations rejected by international media organisations and press freedom advocates. CPJ criticised such claims as unproven and potentially dangerous.
The Israeli military rejected the report’s conclusions, saying it “strongly disputes” CPJ’s findings and maintains that it does not intentionally target journalists.
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