Portrait of Palestinian boy who lost both arms in Israeli strike named press photo of the year
A haunting portrait of a young Palestinian boy from the Gaza Strip who lost both of his arms in an Israeli strike has been named World Press Photo of the Year for 2025.
A haunting portrait of a young Palestinian boy from the Gaza Strip who lost both of his arms in an Israeli strike has been named World Press Photo of the Year for 2025.
Mahmoud Ajjour, 9, was fleeing an Israeli attack in Gaza with his family when he turned back to urge his loved ones to move forward, the World Press Photo organization said in a statement accompanying the picture taken by Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf.
Then he was hit in an explosion, the Netherlands-based nonprofit added.
One of Ajjour's arms was completely severed, while the other was left severely injured and ultimately had to be amputated.
“One of the most difficult things Mahmoud’s mother explained to me was how when Mahmoud first came to the realization that his arms were amputated,” Abu Elouf said in the statement from World Press Photo. “The first sentence he said to her was, ‘How will I be able to hug you?’”
Rating: 5