Israel Led Journalist Deaths for 3rd Straight Year

DID Press: Israel has been identified as the leading contributor to journalist fatalities worldwide for the third year in a row, according to the 2025 annual report released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The organization says Israeli forces were responsible for nearly half of all journalist deaths recorded globally over the past year.

In its report published on 9 December 2025, RSF documented the deaths of 67 journalists between December 2024 and December 2025—slightly higher than the 66 recorded the previous year.

According to RSF, 29 Palestinian journalists were killed in Gaza alone over the past year. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, the total number of journalists killed has risen to nearly 220, with RSF attributing 43 percent of these deaths to Israeli forces. The organization describes Israel as “the world’s deadliest actor toward journalists” during this period.

The report identifies the deadliest single incident as a “two-stage strike” on a hospital in southern Gaza on 25 August 2025, which killed five journalists, including staff working for major international news agencies Reuters and the Associated Press.

At the same time, RSF notes that foreign journalists continue to be denied independent access to Gaza, permitted entry only through tightly managed tours supervised by the Israeli military—a restriction that has drawn sharp criticism from global media organizations.

Beyond the Middle East, the report highlights other high-risk environments. Mexico, with nine journalists killed, recorded its deadliest year in three years. Sudan and Ukraine also remained dangerous, with four and three journalists killed respectively.

Despite increases in several regions, global journalist fatalities in 2025 remain significantly lower than the peak in 2012—when 142 journalists were killed, largely due to the war in Syria—and below the long-term annual average of around 80 deaths since 2003.

RSF also warns of a continued rise in journalist imprisonment. China tops the list with 121 journalists currently detained, followed by Russia with 48 and Myanmar with 47. As of 1 December 2025, the organization reports 503 journalists held in 47 countries for their professional work.