Israel Killed Highest Number of Journalists Worldwide in 2025 : RSF
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Since the start of the attack on Gaza by Israel in 2023, the Israeli armed forces have killed 220 journalists. |
The report states that the deadliest attack so far was a "double-tap" strike on a hospital in southern Gaza on August 25, which killed five journalists, along with two contributors from the international news agency Reuters and the Associated Press.
Since the start of Israel's offensive on Gaza in 2023, the Israeli military has killed 220 journalists. At least 65 of these were killed in the line of duty. Israel has been the world's leading killer of journalists for three consecutive years, RSF data shows.
The second most dangerous place for journalists is Mexico, where nine journalists died in 2025. War-torn Ukraine (three journalists killed) and Sudan (four journalists killed) are the second most dangerous countries in the world for reporters.
75% women journalists are victims of online violence, one in four receives physical or death threats: UNESCO #journalists #Press #Womenjournalists #UNESCO https://t.co/jrqVCewViy
— VOiCE OF MEDIA (@voiceofmedia1) November 2, 2025
Expressing concern over the rising number of deaths of journalists, RSF Director General Thibaut Bruttin said, “This is where the hatred of journalists leads! It led to the death of 67 journalists this year – not by accident, and they weren’t collateral victims. They were killed, targeted for their work. It is perfectly legitimate to criticise the media — criticism should serve as a catalyst for change that ensures the survival of the free press, a public good. But it must never descend into hatred of journalists, which is largely born out of — or deliberately stoked by — the tactics of armed forces and criminal organisations."
Bruttin added, "This is where impunity for these crimes leads us: the failure of international organisations that are no longer able to ensure journalists’ right to protection in armed conflicts is the consequence of a global decline in the courage of governments, which should be implementing protective public policies. Key witnesses to history, journalists have gradually become collateral victims, inconvenient eyewitnesses, bargaining chips, pawns in diplomatic games, men and women to be ‘eliminated.’ We must be wary of false notions about reporters: no one gives their lives for journalism — it is taken from them; journalists do not just die — they are killed.”
ABC Ordered to Pay Additional $150,000 in Compensation to Journalist Unlawful Termination for Social Media Posts on Gaza #antoinettelattouf #Gaza #ABC #journalist https://t.co/syIU4SusGw
— VOiCE OF MEDIA (@voiceofmedia1) September 24, 2025
While the Israeli military denies allegations of targeted killings of journalists, a media watchdog report claims otherwise, stating that “the Israeli military repeatedly targeted journalists in Gaza.”
The report states that as of December 1, 2025, more than 503 journalists were detained under various provisions of law in various countries around the world, with 121 news professionals imprisoned in China; while Russia detained 48 and Myanmar detained 47 journalists.
