A report released today by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reveals that more than three quarters of the 99 journalists and media workers who lost their lives globally in 2023 were casualties of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The CPJ’s report signifies the highest death toll recorded since 2015, underscoring the unprecedented number of journalists and media workers affected by the Israel-Gaza conflict. Of these, 72 were Palestinian journalists tragically killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza. Outside of this conflict, a total of 22 journalists and media workers fell victim to violence in 18 different nations.
In December 2023, CPJ reported that the initial three months of the Israel-Gaza conflict saw more journalist fatalities than any single country experienced in an entire year.
Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of CPJ, emphasized, “Journalists in Gaza are on the frontlines, bearing witness to the conflict. The profound loss of Palestinian journalists during this war will reverberate not only in the Palestinian territories but also across the region and beyond. Each journalist lost is a setback for our global understanding.”
CPJ has expressed concerns regarding the apparent targeting of media personnel by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and is actively investigating whether a dozen journalists killed during the conflict were deliberately targeted. A report released by CPJ in May 2023, titled “Deadly Pattern,” highlighted the Israeli military’s history of journalist fatalities without accountability, with at least 20 journalists killed over 22 years.
CPJ has called for prompt, transparent, and independent investigations into all journalist killings by the IDF, stressing that journalists are civilians under international law and deliberately targeting them constitutes a war crime. Moreover, CPJ has urged Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice’s recent order to preserve evidence, highlighting the crucial role of journalists as frontline witnesses.
Despite a decrease in killings outside of Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon, CPJ’s data for 2023 indicates ongoing threats to journalists in nations such as the Philippines, Mexico, and Somalia, where journalist safety remains a concern. Even as overall journalist killings have declined, non-lethal attacks persist, and record numbers of journalists continue to be incarcerated, indicating challenges to press freedom.
Ginsberg underscored, “The nearly record-high number of journalist fatalities in 2023 underscores the urgent need for collective action to ensure accountability for those responsible, promote safety in newsrooms, and safeguard the public’s right to information against those who seek to silence reporting.”
While fewer journalist killings were reported in 2023, this does not necessarily translate to increased safety. Mexico, for example, saw a decrease in killings from 13 in 2022 to two in 2023, yet journalists still face threats, harassment, and abduction amid rampant corruption and organized crime. Additionally, government surveillance of reporters and rights defenders exacerbates the risks, leading many journalists to flee their homes and abandon their profession due to violence.
In the Philippines, 94 out of 96 journalists killed from 1992 to 2023 were targeted in connection with their work, with radio journalists being particularly vulnerable. In Cameroon, the murders of Martinez Zogo and Jean-Jacques Ola Bebe occurred amidst a power struggle between government factions. Ukraine saw a decline in journalist killings from 13 in 2022 to two in 2023, attributed to improved training, safety awareness, and stabilization of conflict zones.
Despite existing mechanisms aimed at protecting journalists, they often fail to provide adequate safety, allowing perpetrators to evade justice as local investigations stall or are never initiated.