Record 129 Journalists Killed Globally in 2025

A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, the highest annual toll since the Committee to Protect Journalists began tracking such deaths more than three decades ago, with the majority occurring in conflict zones.

The organization, known as CPJ, released its findings this week, noting that more than three-quarters of the fatalities took place amid armed conflicts. Israel accounted for approximately two-thirds of the global total, according to the report, with 86 journalists and media workers killed in actions attributed to Israeli military operations. Over 60 percent of those killed were Palestinians reporting from Gaza, where intense fighting has persisted since late 2023. The Israeli military has stated that it does not deliberately target journalists and that any actions were based on intelligence regarding involvement in militant activities. A spokesperson rejected the CPJ's conclusions as relying on unverified data and emphasized that militants have sometimes operated under civilian cover, including posing as media personnel.

The report highlighted the rising dangers posed by modern warfare technologies, documenting 39 drone strikes that killed...