CPJ Report Says IDF Killed More Journalists Than Any Other Military

The global safety environment for journalists deteriorated sharply in 2025, with fatalities reaching the highest level recorded by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The organization documented 129 deaths worldwide last year, calling it the deadliest year for media workers since it began tracking more than three decades ago.

CPJ attributed 86 of those killings to Israeli attacks, a concentration of deaths that placed Gaza at the center of the press freedom debate.

According to CPJ, killings in five countries accounted for 84 percent of journalist deaths in 2025. Israel led with 86, followed by Sudan with nine, Mexico with six, Russia with four, and the Philippines with three. CPJ said the figures marked “back-to-back record years for press fatalities due to Israel’s continued and unprecedented targeting of journalists and media workers.”

The organization noted that more than 60 percent of those killed by Israeli fire were Palestinians reporting from Gaza.

CPJ identified the deadliest single attack on journalists as an August 25 strike on Nasser hospital in southern Gaza. The incident killed at least 20 people, including five media staff, among them two Middle East Eye journalists.

The strike was described as a “double-tap,” a tactic involving consecutive attacks on the same location. Human rights experts and several governments have criticized the practice for endangering first responders and media personnel who converge after an initial strike.

CPJ also highlighted the growing role of drones in journalist fatalities. Of 39 drone-related deaths documented globally in 2025, 28 occurred in Gaza and were attributed to Israeli military operations. The data underscores a broader shift in modern conflict, where persistent aerial surveillance and precision strikes compress reaction times and complicate the identification of civilian actors, including reporters.

International media access to Gaza has remained restricted since October 2023. As a result, coverage has relied heavily on Palestinian journalists operating under conditions of displacement, resource scarcity, and personal risk.

The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate said more than 700 family members of journalists have been killed since October 2023.

In a prior statement, the syndicate warned: “The journalist is no longer the sole target. The family has been transformed into a tool of pressure and collective punishment.”

Data from Gaza’s local government media office states that 260 journalists were killed in Israeli attacks between October 7, 2023, and January 23, 2026, indicating sustained attrition within the territory’s media community.

Advocacy organizations have intensified calls for stronger protections for media workers. Article 19, the international freedom of expression group, said in January 2025 that it condemned the targeting of journalists in Palestine and urged Israel to halt attacks on reporters, stressing that journalists are essential for truth and accountability.

CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg echoed those concerns, stating: “Journalists are being killed in record numbers at a time when access to information is more important than ever,” adding that “much more needs to be done to prevent these killings and punish the perpetrators.”