By Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A record number of journalists was killed around the world last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday, adding that Israel was responsible for nearly 70% of the deaths.

At least 124 journalists in 18 countries died in 2024, the deadliest year for reporters and media workers since the committee started recording the numbers more than three decades ago, the CPJ said in a statement. 

CPJ said the Israel-Gaza war has accounted for the deaths of 85 journalists at the hands of the Israeli military, and accused Israel of attempting to stifle investigations of incidents, shift blame onto journalists and ignore its duty to hold people to account for the killings.

The Israeli military, when asked for comment, said not enough information was provided on the alleged incidents and that it was therefore not able to check them, adding that it takes all operationally feasible measures to mitigate harm to journalists and civilians. 

"The IDF has never, and will never, deliberately target journalists," it said.

The number of journalists and media workers killed in 2024 is up sharply over recent years - 102 were killed in 2023 and 69 were killed in 2022, according to CPJ. The previous record high deaths were in 2007, when 113 journalists lost their lives, almost half due to the Iraq War, said the committee.

Sudan and Pakistan had the second-highest number of journalists killed last year, the committee said.

"Today is the most dangerous time to be a journalist in CPJ’s history," CEO Jodie Ginsberg said in the statement. 

"The war in Gaza is unprecedented in its impact on journalists and demonstrates a major deterioration in global norms on protecting journalists in conflict zones, but it is far from the only place journalists are in danger."

CPJ said it had documented an "alarming rise in the number of targeted killings," adding that at least 24 journalists were deliberately killed because of their work last year, including in Haiti, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan and elsewhere. It said it had documented at least 10 cases of targeted killings by Israel.

The committee said it is also investigating 20 other killings in which it believes Israel may have specifically targeted journalists.

Israel vowed to destroy Hamas for its October 2023 attack in which 1,200 people were killed, most of them civilians, and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

More than 48,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel's retaliatory assault, according to Palestinian health authorities.

At least six journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2025, the committee said.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis; Additional reporting by Simon Lewis in Washington and Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem; Editing by Don Durfee and Rod Nickel)