World Press Photo of the Year Goes to Samar Abu Elouf
Palestinian journalist Samar Abu Elouf was awarded the World Press Photo of the Year for her photograph of nine-year-old Palestinian boy, Mahmoud Ajjour, who lost both arms in an Israeli airstrike. She was chosen from 59,320 images from photographers across 141 countries.
Samar Abu Elouf is the second Palestinian photojournalist to achieve the World Press Photo’s top accolade since October 2023. Last April, the award was given to Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem, who documented a Gazan woman holding the small body bag of her five-year-old niece.
As the competition’s 68th edition winner, Elouf will be awarded a €10,000 (~$11,300) cash prize and a Fujifilm camera. The photograph will be featured in a year-long global exhibition alongside other regional winners and finalists across North America, South America, Europe, and Australia.
The Story Behind the Gazan Amputee
Following an Israeli explosion in March, Mahmoud Ajjour (then 10) lost both of his arms. The strike severed one hand and inflicted serious damage to the other. At the time, he was escaping his home in Gaza with his family. After the attack, he urged his family to continue without him.
Months later, journalist Samar Abu Elouf captured Ajjour in Qatar, where he had fled for medical treatment. She was on an assignment for a New York Times article about Gazans receiving medical care in Qatar. Elouf is a self-taught photojournalist who left Gaza in December 2023 and resides in the same apartment complex as Ajjour.
This is one of Elouf’s portraits, which won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year award. According to the World Press Photo Foundation Executive Director Joumana El Zein Khoury, “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.”
In the press note, Samar Abu Elouf noted, “One of the most difficult things Mahmoud’s mother explained to me was how when Mahmoud first came to the realisation that his arms were amputated, the first sentence he said to her was, ‘How will I be able to hug you?’”
Mahmoud Ajjour’s Portrait
Samar Abu Elouf photographed Mahmoud Ajjour, bathed in sunlight. The light highlights both his determined expression and the devastating impact of his injuries. The illuminated head and shoulders make him seem akin to a classical sculpture.
The picture is a representative of the harsh reality faced by thousands of children in Gaza, which boasts the highest number of child amputees globally, as reported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). It also emphasises the continuing dehumanisation of its inhabitants, the assault on journalists, and the challenges that international media encounter in reporting on the genocide.
World Press Photo Global Jury Chair Lucy Conticello said in a press release. “This young boy’s life deserves to be understood, and this picture does what great photojournalism can do: provide a layered entry point into a complex story and the incentive to prolong one’s encounter with that story.” The jury was stunned by the photograph for its “powerful composition and sensitivity to light.” They also lauded its thought-provoking themes, particularly concerning Mahmoud’s future.
Currently, Mahmoud is acquiring skills to play games on his phone, write, and use his feet to open doors, yet he still requires special support for many everyday tasks, including eating and dressing.
Image Courtesy – Khaleej Times
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