2025: The Deadliest Year for Journalists in Recorded History — Israel Responsible for 66%

In 2025, the world witnessed an unprecedented assault on the press. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), more media workers were killed last year than in any other year on record — and a single country was responsible for the majority of those deaths.

Israel killed 86 journalists in 2025, accounting for 66% of all journalist deaths globally. The overwhelming majority were killed in Gaza, where Israel's military campaign has systematically targeted media workers since October 2023.

The full global breakdown for 2025:

• Israel: 86
• Others combined: 21
• Sudan: 9
• Mexico: 6
• Russia: 4
• Philippines: 3

The total of approximately 129 documented deaths in a single year surpasses any previous record in CPJ's four-decade history of tracking journalist killings.

The concentration is stark. While countries like Mexico (cartel violence), Russia (war in Ukraine), and Sudan (civil war) have historically appeared near the top of such lists, none came close to Israel's share in 2025. Sudan's nine deaths — amid one of the world's most brutal ongoing conflicts — represent barely one-tenth of Israel's toll.

The CPJ notes these figures reflect only confirmed, documented deaths. The true number in Gaza is likely higher, as many cases remain under investigation in a conflict zone where independent verification is nearly impossible.

For Qatar — home to Al Jazeera's global headquarters — the figures carry particular weight. Al Jazeera journalists have been among the documented victims, and the network has repeatedly called for international accountability for the targeting of its staff.

Press freedom organisations have called on the International Criminal Court and UN bodies to investigate the systematic targeting of journalists in Gaza. To date, no state-level accountability has been imposed.

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Global Journalist Deaths 2025.