Palestinian photographer wins top prize for documenting Gaza’s devastation

BAYEUX, France (MNTV) — Palestinian photographer Mahmoud Abu Hamda has won the top photography prize at the Bayeux awards for war correspondents for his work documenting Israel’s devastating war on Gaza.

According to Agence France-Presse, Abu Hamda also received the Public’s Choice award for his photographic reportage, “What the War Leaves Behind It.”

The Gaza-based freelancer sent a prerecorded video message to the ceremony in northwestern France rather than attending in person.

His recognition highlights the work of Palestinian journalists documenting the consequences of Israel’s genocide, including the destruction of civilian neighborhoods and the suffering of people living amid the ruins.

Other journalists reporting from Gaza and the occupied West Bank also received recognition at the ceremony. Palestinian journalist Anas Baba, who works for US public broadcaster NPR, won the radio award for a report on recovering victims’ bodies in Gaza.

Associated Press photographer Jehad Alshrafi received the Young Reporter photography prize for his series, “Endless War and Devastation in Gaza.”

One photograph from Alshrafi’s series, depicting footballers playing on a pitch surrounded by rubble, became controversial in France after it was removed from a sports photography festival in Deauville. A court subsequently ordered its reinstatement.

The Washington Post, NPR and CNN also received major awards for reporting from Ukraine, Gaza and the West Bank.

The awards underscore the importance of documenting conflicts and preserving visual evidence of their human consequences. For Palestinian journalists, such work has become particularly important amid the destruction and displacement caused by Israel’s assault on Gaza.