RSF Reports Israel Killed Highest Number of Journalists Worldwide for Second Consecutive Year
Reporters Without Borders said on Tuesday that Israel was responsible for the highest number of journalist deaths worldwide for the second year in a row, with nearly half of all media fatalities linked to Israeli military actions in Gaza. The findings were released in the group’s annual global report, which documented journalist killings from December 2024 to December 2025.
According to the Paris based press freedom organisation, sixty seven journalists were killed worldwide during the period, a slight rise from sixty six recorded in 2024. Of those deaths, twenty nine were Palestinian reporters who were killed in Gaza, making the enclave the most dangerous place in the world for media workers for another consecutive year. RSF said these deaths resulted directly from Israeli military operations, which it described as unprecedented in scale and intensity.
The organisation said Israel alone accounted for forty three percent of all journalists killed globally this year. In its report, RSF referred to Israeli forces as “the worst enemy of journalists” in 2025, arguing that the pattern of killings reflected a broader disregard for press safety in conflict zones. RSF said many of the reporters killed in Gaza were covering frontline developments or reporting from their homes and neighborhoods when strikes hit civilian areas.
The report noted that Palestinian journalists face unique risks, including the destruction of communications infrastructure, constant displacement and limited access to protective equipment. Several of the reporters killed had been working for local outlets, independent news agencies or international media partners. RSF said their deaths had created major gaps in wartime reporting, as they were among the few able to provide firsthand accounts from areas inaccessible to foreign correspondents.
Beyond Gaza, the report documented journalist fatalities in conflict zones including Ukraine, Syria, Mexico and parts of Africa, but none approached the scale seen in the Israeli Palestinian conflict. RSF said the global figure of sixty seven deaths reflects ongoing threats to media freedom worldwide, especially in regions where political instability, armed conflict or organized crime limit journalists’ ability to work safely.
Press freedom advocates say the figures highlight a deepening crisis for the protection of journalists in war zones. RSF repeated its call for independent investigations into the killings in Gaza and urged the international community to pressure governments and armed actors to respect rules protecting journalists under international humanitarian law. The organisation emphasized that journalists are civilians and must not be targeted under any circumstances.
Israel has previously denied deliberately targeting journalists, saying its operations focus on military objectives and that some deaths occurred because Hamas operates within civilian areas. RSF said the scale of the casualties raises serious questions about whether adequate measures were taken to avoid harming reporters, and that several documented cases indicate journalists were identifiable as press or killed in locations with no active fighting.
As conflict continues in Gaza, RSF warned that the number of journalist casualties could rise further, making comprehensive documentation and accountability efforts all the more urgent.
