Gaza deadliest war for journalists, 13 killed monthly: report

The report, ‘News Graveyards: How Dangers to War Reporters Endanger the World’ states Israel-Palestine war has cumulatively killed more journalists than the US Civil War, World War I and World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Ukrainian war, and war in Afghanistan.

The US-based NGO, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), had released similar findings in 2024. As per the report, with 124 journalist casualties, 2024 had been the deadliest year for journalists since CPJ started recording data three decades ago.

Recently, two other journalists—Palestine Today’s Mohammad Mansour and Al Jazeera’s Hossam Shabat—were killed after Israel resumed military operations following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire. The Israeli military, however, has accused several slain journalist, including Shabat of being a Hamas operative.

Top 5 most fatal wars for journalists

Vietnam war(1955-1975)

Approximately 600 journalists from across the world were accredited in Vietnam, leading to the deaths of over 60 journalists. Their reports soon beccame part of the Joint U.S. Public Affairs Office’s “five o’clock follies.”

Yugoslav war(1991-2001)

At least 140 reporters, including foreign correspondents, lost their lives during and after the wars in the Balkans in the 1990s. However, only Serb paramilitary leader Dragan Vasiljkovic, known as ‘Captain Dragan’, was found guilty for an assault in Croatia that resulted in the death of a German journalist.

Afghanistan War (2001–2021)

Since 2001, 65 journalists and media workers have been killed in Afghanistan . In March 2023, an explosion took place at a cultural center in Mazar-e-Sharif where journalists gathered to mark National Journalists Day.  A journalist, Hosein Naderi, was killed in the attack, and at least 16 others were injured.

Iraq War (2003–2011)

As per CPJ records at least 150 journalists and 54 media support personnel lost their lives in Iraq from the onset of the US-led invasion in March 2003 until the war was officially concluded in December 2011.

Ukraine War (2014–2025)

At least 17 journalists and media workers have died while reporting on the conflict, and the Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating whether the fatalities of two individuals – Roman Nezhyborets and Yevhenii Bal – were linked to their journalistic activities.

(The writer is an intern with indianexpress.com)