A leading media watchdog has reported that 2025 was the deadliest year on record for journalists worldwide, with Israel allegedly responsible for the majority of killings.
In its annual report, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said at least 129 journalists and media workers were killed globally last year, the highest number since the organization began tracking such data in 1992.
According to the report, Israel was responsible for at least 84 of those deaths, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global total.
Targeted Killings and War Zones
The CPJ further stated that Israel allegedly carried out 38 of the 47 targeted killings recorded worldwide in 2025 incidents the organization classifies as deliberate murder.
Most of those killed were Palestinian journalists covering the ongoing war in Gaza. The watchdog also reported that Israeli air strikes in Yemen struck newspaper offices, killing 31 staff members.
The findings were echoed in coverage by Al Jazeera, which highlighted concerns about press freedom and the risks faced by reporters in conflict zones.
The CPJ warned that the true death toll could be significantly higher. Severe press restrictions, ongoing military operations, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza have made independent verification extremely difficult. In some cases, the group said, evidence may already have been destroyed, potentially obscuring proof of deliberate targeting.
Broader Context
The report comes amid continued international scrutiny of Israel’s military operations following the outbreak of war after the October 2023 attacks by Hamas and Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza.
Monitoring group Shireen.ps estimates that nearly 300 journalists and media workers have been killed since the conflict began, a figure substantially higher than the CPJ’s confirmed count, reflecting differences in verification standards.
Israel has previously stated that it does not deliberately target journalists and has argued that militant groups operate within civilian areas, complicating battlefield conditions.
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FAQs
Who released the report on journalist deaths?
The annual report was released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent non-profit organization that tracks attacks on press freedom worldwide.
How many journalists were killed globally in 2025?
According to CPJ, at least 129 journalists and media workers were killed in 2025, making it the deadliest year since the organization began collecting data in 1992.
Why is Israel being singled out in the report?
CPJ claims Israel was responsible for at least 84 journalist deaths in 2025, including 38 cases it classified as targeted killings.
Why might the real number of deaths be higher?
Ongoing conflict, restricted access to affected areas, and the destruction of evidence may have prevented full documentation of cases, particularly in Gaza.
Has Israel responded to these allegations?
Israel has consistently denied deliberately targeting journalists, stating that military actions are aimed at militant threats and that civilian casualties can occur in complex combat environments.
Conclusion
The watchdog’s findings paint a stark picture of the dangers journalists faced in 2025, particularly in conflict zones such as Gaza and Yemen. If verified, the figures would mark an unprecedented toll on the global press and intensify scrutiny of Israel’s military conduct.
At the same time, differing casualty estimates and the challenges of independent verification underscore the complexity of reporting from active war zones. The debate over accountability, press freedom, and the protection of journalists is likely to remain central as the conflict
