Journalists in the crosshairs: According to Reporters Without Borders, 67 journalists will be killed worldwide by 2025.

The new annual report from Reporters Without Borders delivers a report that depicts a dark year for freedom of information: between December 1, 2024, and December 1, 2025, 67 journalists were killed, a growing number that turns back the clock on security for those who report on conflict and crime.

Gaza, epicenter of the tragedy

The Strip continues to be the deadliest place in the world for journalists. Of the 67 reporters killed in the reporting period, 29 were killed in Gaza during IDF bombings and operations. For the third consecutive year, RSF points the finger at the army, emphasizing that the victims are not "accidents" or "collateral damage," but professionals shot while carrying out their work. Thibaut Bruttin, the organization's director general, speaks bluntly of "targeted" reporters. Israel has consistently responded by claiming that many of the victims were linked to Hamas, a defense repeatedly contested by international organizations.

The deadliest incident cited in the report is the August 25 attack on Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, where five journalists—including Reuters and Associated Press workers—were killed. The Israeli army initially claimed to have targeted "Hamas affiliates," but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later expressed regret, calling the killing of the reporters an "accident."

The crucial role of local journalists

In the Strip, Palestinian journalists remain the only ones able to document the situation on the ground. Despite the truce, Israel continues to bar the entry of the international press. On October 23, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the government to reconsider this position within thirty days, but the situation has not changed. The result is that the international community is completely dependent on local reporters, forced to work in extreme conditions and at high risk.

Beyond Gaza: Mexico, Sudan, Ukraine, and other fronts of violence

Outside the Middle East, Mexico remains the second most dangerous country in the world for journalists. Nine journalists were killed here in 2025, the highest number in the last three years. Pressure from drug cartels and the impunity that characterizes many regions of the country continue to make fieldwork a deadly endeavor.

Sudan, torn apart by internal war, recorded four deaths, two of which were linked to kidnappings carried out by the Rapid Support Forces. Ukraine remains a high-risk theater: the Russian military continues to target both local and foreign reporters. Among the victims is French photojournalist Antoni Lallican, killed in a Russian drone strike.

In two cases, the journalists were killed while working away from their home countries: in addition to Lallican, Salvadoran Javier Hércules was murdered in Honduras. All the others lost their lives in their home countries, a fact that confirms that most reporters are most vulnerable in the contexts they know best, but cannot abandon.

Arrests, disappearances, and kidnappings: an even darker picture

Beyond the deaths, RSF captures a world where arrests, disappearances, and kidnappings continue to rise. As of December 1, 2025, 503 journalists were detained in 47 countries. China remains the largest prison for media professionals with 121 inmates, followed by Russia and Myanmar. However, one year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria holds the sad record for missing journalists: many of those kidnapped or arrested during the regime remain unaccounted for.

Furthermore, 135 missing reporters are still missing worldwide, and 20 journalists are currently being held hostage. Yemen is expected to be the country with the most kidnappings in 2025, with seven kidnappings attributed to the Houthi rebels.

RSF's words and the growing climate of hostility

In presenting the report, Director General Thibaut Bruttin emphasized how the climate of hostility toward reporters is fueled by both the armed forces and criminal organizations. Criticism of the media, he stated, is legitimate and can be constructive, but must never degenerate into hatred toward those who report the facts. Bruttin also recalled a fundamental principle: "No one gives their life for journalism: it is taken from them."

An alarm that cannot be ignored

The picture painted by Reporters Without Borders depicts a year in which "journalists don't die, they are killed." A warning that concerns not only the victims, but the very role of information. When witnesses to history become targets, the risk is not only for them, but for society as a whole. From the Gaza Strip to regions dominated by drug trafficking, from war fronts to secret prisons, 2025 presents a record that demands political attention, concrete protection, and a more decisive defense of press freedom.