Palestine Named Deadliest Place for Journalists in 2025

Palestine emerged as the most dangerous place to work as a journalist in 2025, with the region recording 56 journalist deaths, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The IFJ's annual report highlights that the Middle East was the deadliest region for media professionals, accounting for 74 of the 128 global journalist fatalities in 2025.

Palestinian journalists were the largest group of victims, with the majority losing their lives while covering Israel’s war on Gaza. One of the most tragic incidents was the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, along with several colleagues, when Israeli forces targeted a media tent outside Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital on August 10.

The report also details several other deadly attacks on media workers, including an Israeli airstrike in Yemen that resulted in the deaths of 13 journalists and media workers. While the Middle East continues to be the deadliest region for the third consecutive year, the Asia Pacific region saw the highest number of journalists behind bars, particularly in China and Hong Kong.

The IFJ emphasized that the killing of journalists is not just a statistic, but a global crisis, as media professionals are increasingly being targeted for simply doing their jobs.