Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In what the New York‑based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called the deadliest year on record for the global media, 129 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, surpassing any annual total since the organization began systematically documenting press deaths more than three decades ago. The figure marks the second consecutive year of record‑high casualties among press professionals.
According to the CPJ’s annual report, Israeli military fire was responsible for about most of these deaths, making it the largest contributor to journalist fatalities globally in 2025. Eighty‑six of the 129 press members killed died at the hands of Israeli forces, the majority of them Palestinian reporters and media workers covering the war in Gaza.
The crisis in Gaza, where Israel has enforced strict restrictions on foreign journalistic access, meant that nearly all journalists killed there were local Palestinian media workers. In many cases, the CPJ report said, Israeli authorities have denied deliberately targeting journalists, maintaining that their operations focus on combatants and that conflict zones inherently carry risks for all present.
In one of the most high‑profile incidents, Reuters journalist Hussam al‑Masri was killed by Israeli fire in August 2025 while broadcasting live near Nasser Hospital in Gaza. Israel expressed regret for the deaths, including four other journalists in the same attack, calling it a “tragic mishap,” even as investigative findings later showed equipment hit in the strike belonged to Reuters.
Yemen Strike Among Deadliest Attacks
The CPJ report also highlighted a massive loss of life in Yemen, where 31 media workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a Houthi‑linked media center in September 2025, the second‑deadliest single attack on journalists in the watchdog’s records. This strike underscored the expanding geographic footprint of threats to journalists in conflict zones beyond Gaza.
Of the 47 killings that CPJ classified as intentional or “murder,” Israeli forces were responsible for about 81% of these cases, though the group noted actual figures could be higher because of verification difficulties in contested areas like Gaza.
Beyond the Middle East
While the Israel‑Gaza war accounted for the largest share of deaths, the report showed that journalists faced lethal risks in multiple conflict and crime‑affected regions. Sudan recorded nine journalist deaths, often tied to ongoing conflict and militia violence, while six journalists were killed in Mexico, where crime reporting remains one of the most dangerous beats. Russian military action was linked to the deaths of four Ukrainian journalists, and three journalists were shot dead in the Philippines, often in situations involving political violence or organized crime.
Rising Use of Drones and Impunity Concerns
The CPJ flagged an increase in the killing of journalists by drones, with 39 such cases documented in 2025, including at least 28 in Gaza, a sharp rise from previous years. The group also lamented a “persistent culture of impunity,” noting that few transparent investigations have been conducted and that no accountability has been achieved in most cases.
Global Press Freedom at Risk
CPJ and other press freedom advocates have warned that the rising toll of journalist deaths poses a grave threat to transparent reporting and accountability in conflict zones. They have called for greater protections for media workers, unrestricted access to conflict areas, and thorough, independent investigations into deadly attacks. International media organizations have also rebuffed claims by Israel that some of the journalists killed had “terror ties,” labeling such assertions as unsubstantiated and dangerous.
As the international community digests these findings, the report stands as a stark reminder of the perils facing journalists worldwide, especially those covering wars and violent social upheavals, and the urgent need for measures that safeguard press freedom and the lives of those who risk everything to document the truth.
