Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported on Tuesday that Israel was responsible for nearly half of all journalists killed worldwide in 2025, with 29 Palestinian reporters killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. The Paris-based media freedom organization said a total of 67 journalists were killed globally this year, slightly higher than the 66 reported in 2024.
According to RSF, Israeli forces accounted for 43 percent of these deaths, making them “the worst enemy of journalists.” The deadliest single attack occurred on August 25, when a so-called “double-tap” strike on a hospital in southern Gaza killed five journalists, including two working for international news agencies Reuters and the Associated Press.
Since the start of hostilities in Gaza in October 2023, nearly 220 journalists have been killed, making Israel the leading killer of journalists for the third consecutive year. Access to Gaza remains tightly restricted, with foreign reporters only allowed in controlled tours organized by the Israeli military, despite repeated calls from media and press freedom organizations for broader access.
The RSF report also highlighted other dangerous countries for journalists. Mexico recorded nine journalist deaths in 2025, the deadliest year there in at least three years, despite promises from President Claudia Sheinbaum to protect the press. Ukraine and Sudan also remain high-risk countries, with three and four journalists killed, respectively.
While 2025 saw fewer journalist deaths than the peak of 142 in 2012 during the Syrian civil war, the annual global average since 2003 remains around 80 deaths per year.The report also noted the global imprisonment of journalists. China leads with 121 detained journalists, followed by Russia (48) and Myanmar (47). As of December 1, 2025, RSF recorded 503 journalists imprisoned in 47 countries worldwide.
