People attend a vigil in memory of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed during an Israeli raid, outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, May 16, 2022. (Credit: Mussa Qawasma/Archive Photo/Reuters)
A record number of journalists was killed around the world last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday, adding that Israel killed nearly 70 percent of them.
At least 124 journalists in 18 countries were killed in 2024, the deadliest year for reporters and media workers since the committee started recording the numbers more than three decades ago, the CPJ said in a statement. CPJ said Israel killed 85 journalists, and accused Israel of attempting to stifle investigations of incidents, shift blame onto journalists and ignore its duty to hold people to account for the killings.
The Israeli military, when asked for comment, said not enough information was provided on the alleged incidents and that it was therefore not able to check them.
"The Israeli army has never, and will never, deliberately target journalists," it said.
The number of journalists and media workers killed in 2024 is up sharply over recent years. Around 102 were killed in 2023 and 69 were killed in 2022, according to CPJ. The previous record high deaths were in 2007 when 113 journalists were killed, almost half due to the Iraq War, said the committee.
Sudan and Pakistan had the second-highest number of journalists killed last year, the committee said.
"Today is the most dangerous time to be a journalist in CPJ’s history," CEO Jodie Ginsberg said in the statement. "The war in Gaza is unprecedented in its impact on journalists and demonstrates a major deterioration in global norms on protecting journalists in conflict zones, but it is far from the only place journalists are in danger."
CPJ said it had documented an "alarming rise in the number of targeted killings," adding that at least 24 journalists were deliberately killed because of their work last year, including in Haiti, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan and elsewhere. It said it had documented at least 10 cases of targeted killings by Israel.
The committee said it is also investigating 20 other killings in which it believes Israel may have specifically targeted journalists.
More than 48,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed by Israel's war on Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities.
At least six journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2025, the committee said.