The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that press killings 2025 reached the highest annual number ever recorded, with Israel responsible for most of the deaths. The organization documented 129 journalists and media workers killed worldwide last year.
The CPJ said nearly two-thirds of all fatalities were caused by Israeli military operations, primarily in Gaza, making 2025 the deadliest year for journalists since the group began tracking cases more than three decades ago.
Israel blamed for majority of global journalist deaths
According to the CPJ report, 86 journalists were killed by Israeli fire in 2025. Most of the victims were Palestinian reporters covering the war in Gaza.
The report also said Israel carried out 31 additional killings in Yemen when its military struck a Houthi media center, marking the second deadliest single attack the CPJ has ever documented.
Israel was responsible for 81 percent of all “intentionally targeted” killings in 2025, a category the CPJ classifies as murder.
Restrictive access and disputed Israeli claims
Israel denies targeting journalists intentionally and maintains that its forces aim only at combatants. However, the CPJ said no verifiable evidence has been provided to support claims that some of the journalists killed had links to armed groups.
International media organizations strongly rejected allegations by Israel that reporters in Gaza had militant ties, calling the accusations unsubstantiated.
The CPJ emphasized that Israel’s refusal to allow foreign journalists into Gaza has made independent verification more difficult.
Drone strikes and conflict zones intensify risks
The CPJ recorded 39 journalist deaths caused by drone attacks in 2025. These included:
28 killings by Israeli drones in Gaza
5 killings by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces
4 killings in Ukraine by Russian military drones
1 suspected Turkish drone strike in Iraq
The organization noted that drone warfare has become a growing threat to media workers in conflict areas.
Deadliest conflicts beyond Gaza and Yemen
Outside Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan, journalist fatalities were also reported in:
Mexico, where 6 journalists were killed amid ongoing impunity
The Philippines, where 3 reporters were shot dead
Ukraine, where 4 journalists were killed by Russian forces
Cases linked to organized crime were documented in India and Peru, while corruption-related killings occurred in Bangladesh.
Targeted killings and impunity
The CPJ documented 47 targeted killings classified as murder in 2025, the highest figure in a decade. None resulted in accountability.
The organization warned that governments’ failure to protect journalists or investigate their deaths has encouraged further violence.
Saudi execution marks first killing since Khashoggi
The report highlighted the execution of Saudi columnist Turki al Jasser after seven years of detention. CPJ said charges against him appeared to be politically motivated and similar to patterns used to silence journalists in authoritarian states.
This was Saudi Arabia’s first documented journalist killing since the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
Why the report matters to Iraq
The CPJ noted that journalist safety in the region remains fragile. With Iraq bordering multiple conflict zones and facing drone activity, the report underscores the importance of improving protections for Iraqi journalists and maintaining transparent investigations into any attacks on the press.
Conclusion:
The CPJ urged international action to address the rise in journalist killings, calling for stronger investigative mechanisms and accountability measures. The organization warned that the global decline in press safety threatens access to independent information everywhere.
