Photograph of Gaza Boy Who Lost His Arms in Israeli Airstrike is World Press Photo Winner

New Delhi: A photo of a young boy who lost both his arms in Gaza, taken by a self-taught Palestinian photo journalist in the course of Israel's genocidal attacks on Palestine, is the World Press Photo winner of the year.

The #WPPh2025 Photo of the Year is ‘Mahmoud Ajjour, Aged Nine’ by @samarabuelouf, for @nytimes. The jury was moved by this portrait of a Palestinian boy which speaks to the devastating long-term costs of war on civilians. Read more: https://t.co/KHmkUjt2Rj pic.twitter.com/QP3lqEBWaR

— World Press Photo (@WorldPressPhoto) April 17, 2025

The annual World Press Photo Contest recognises and celebrates the photojournalism and documentary photography. The winning photo was selected from 59,320 entries.

Samar Abu Elouf photographed nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour who was injured during an Israeli attack on Gaza City in March
2024, as he found refuge and medical help in Doha, Qatar. The photo was published in the New York Times.

"As his family fled an Israeli assault, Mahmoud turned back to urge others onward. An explosion severed one of his arms and mutilated the other. The family were evacuated to Qatar where, after medical treatment, Mahmoud is learning to use his feet to play games on his phone, write, and open doors," the press release says.

Mahmoud now needs special assistance for most daily activities, such as eating and dressing.

Elouf is also from Gaza and could escape in December 2023. She lives in the same Doha apartment complex as Mahmoud.

Children are impacted by Israel's strikes in numbers that astound traditions of reporting. The United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNWRA) reported that at least 322 children died and 609 were injured – constituting a daily average of around 100 children killed or maimed in just 10 days in March – as ceasefire agreements broke down.

Gaza has more child amputees per capita than anywhere else in the world.

Executive director of the World Press Photo, Joumana El Zein Khoury said: “This is a quiet photo that speaks loudly. It tells the story of one boy, but also of a wider war that will have an impact for generations. Looking at our archive, in the 70th year of World Press Photo, I am confronted by too many images like this one."

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