US President Donald Trump overseeing ‘troubling deterioration’ in press freedom in US, Reporters With out Borders says.
Palestine has turn into the world’s most harmful state for journalists amid Israel’s battle on Gaza, with dozens of reporters probably killed particularly because of their work, a media freedom watchdog has mentioned.
Israeli forces killed almost 200 journalists within the first 18 months of the battle, at the very least 42 of whom have been slain whereas doing their job, Reporters With out Borders mentioned on Friday because it launched its World Press Freedom Index 2025.
“Trapped within the enclave, journalists in Gaza haven’t any shelter and lack the whole lot, together with meals and water,” mentioned the Paris-based group, which can also be identified by its French acronym RSF.
“Within the West Financial institution, journalists are routinely harassed and attacked by each settlers and Israeli forces, however repression reached new heights with a wave of arrests after 7 October, when impunity for crimes dedicated towards journalists turned a brand new rule.”
Journalists suspected of collaborating with Israel are additionally hampered of their work by Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, whereas a cybercrime regulation adopted by the Palestinian Authority limits freedom of expression and freedom of the press, RSF mentioned in its report.
Palestine ranked 163rd for press freedom within the newest index, a drop of six locations from 2024.
Of 180 jurisdictions, 112 noticed declines in press freedom, with the typical rating globally falling to a file low of 55 factors, in line with the report.
America dropped two locations to a file low of 57, with the watchdog accusing US President Donald Trump of overseeing a “troubling deterioration in press freedom”.
“President Donald Trump was elected to a second time period after a marketing campaign by which he denigrated the press every day and made specific threats to weaponize the federal authorities towards the media,” RSF mentioned.
“His early strikes in his second mandate to politicise the Federal Communications Fee (FCC), ban The Related Press from the White Home, or dismantle the US Company for World Media, for instance, have jeopardised the nation’s information retailers and point out that he intends to comply with by way of on his threats, establishing a possible disaster for American journalism.”
Israel dropped 11 locations to 112th, with Reporters With out Borders pointing to rising restrictions on press freedom, media plurality and editorial independence because the begin of the battle in Gaza.
“Since 2021, solely journalists working for Channel 14, a media outlet that covers Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a beneficial mild, have been granted interviews with the nation’s chief, who accuses the Israeli press of conspiring towards him,” the group mentioned.
“In 2024, the Minister of Communication known as on the federal government to boycott Haaretz, one of many few newspapers to criticise Netanyahu’s insurance policies, together with the bloodbath of civilians in Gaza – a subject that’s largely suppressed.”
Eritrea was the lowest-ranked jurisdiction, simply behind North Korea and China.
Norway was ranked first for press freedom, adopted by Estonia, the Netherlands and Sweden.