Journalist Deaths Hit Record High

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released its annual report, declaring 2024 as the deadliest year for journalists in over three decades, with 124 media workers killed across 18 countries. The report states that Israel was responsible for nearly 70% of these deaths, with 85 journalists killed during its war on Gaza, 82 of whom were Palestinians. The CPJ accused Israel of attempting to stifle investigations, shift blame, and ignore accountability for these killings. Israel's military denied deliberately targeting journalists, stating it takes measures to mitigate harm. Sudan and Pakistan were identified as the joint second most deadly countries for journalists, each with six deaths. The report also noted an alarming rise in targeted killings, with at least 24 journalists deliberately killed because of their work in various countries including Haiti, Mexico, Myanmar, Mozambique, India, Iraq, and Sudan. Freelance journalists accounted for over a third of the deaths, with 31 Palestinian freelancers killed in Gaza. The Committee to Protect Journalists called for accountability and support for media workers globally.