WASHINGTON: A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of unprecedented press fatalities, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
The New York–based media watchdog reported that two-thirds of the deaths were attributed to Israeli military actions, with 86 journalists killed most of them Palestinians in Gaza. The toll also included 31 media workers killed in a strike on a Houthi-affiliated media center in Yemen, described by CPJ as the second deadliest attack on journalists it has ever documented.
CPJ stated that 47 of the killings were classified as targeted murders, with Israel allegedly responsible for 81% of those cases. The organization noted that the actual number may be higher due to restricted access to Gaza.
The Israeli military rejected the report’s findings, saying it does not intentionally target journalists and emphasizing the complexities of combat operations. Israel has acknowledged striking the Yemen media center, describing it as a Houthi propaganda facility, and has claimed some Gaza-based journalists had links to Hamas, allegations strongly denied by international news organizations.
Beyond Gaza and Yemen, journalists were also killed in Sudan, Mexico, Ukraine, and the Philippines, with most deaths globally linked to armed conflict. CPJ said the scale of press fatalities in 2025 underscores growing risks for media workers in war zones and areas of instability.
-David Williams
