Palestinian photographer Mahmoud Abu Hamda has won the top photography prize at the Bayeux awards for war correspondents for his work documenting life in Gaza. The freelance photographer also received the Public’s Choice award for his reportage, “What War Leaves Behind”. Based in the Gaza Strip, Abu Hamda submitted his previously unpublished work directly to the award jury. His photographs capture the hardships faced by residents following Israel’s military offensive after Hamas’s October 7 attack in 2023.
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Abu Hamda could not attend the ceremony in Bayeux, northwestern France, but addressed the audience through a video message. He described the international reach of his photographs as a major achievement. “My greatest honour is that these photos have been able to leave the borders of Gaza,” he said. His recognition highlights the role of Palestinian photographers in documenting the human impact of the conflict.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post, NPR and CNN secured the top awards in the print, radio and television categories. The Washington Post team received recognition for its report about a Ukrainian soldier trapped in a combat zone for 177 days. Palestinian journalist Anas Baba of NPR won the radio prize for coverage of efforts to recover victims’ bodies in Gaza. CNN journalists received both the television award and the video image prize for their report on Israeli soldiers serving settlers in the West Bank.
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Associated Press photographer Jehad Alshrafi won the Young Reporter photography prize for his series, “Endless War and Devastation in Gaza”. One photograph from the series showed footballers playing on a pitch surrounded by rubble. However, the image sparked controversy in France in August after organisers removed it from a sports photography festival in Deauville. A court later ordered the photograph’s reinstatement.
Veteran BBC war correspondent Lyse Doucet presided over the Bayeux awards jury. The annual event recognises journalists and photographers reporting from conflict zones around the world. Abu Hamda’s double victory brought particular attention to the realities of daily life in Gaza. His work also demonstrated how visual reporting can carry stories from conflict-affected communities to international audiences.