World Press Photo 2025: Heartbreaking Image of Gaza Boy Wins Top Honor

Portrait of Mahmoud Ajjour, a young Gazan boy, by the Palestinian photojournalist Samar Abu Elouf. It won the World Press Photo of the Year. The New York Times/World Press Photo 2025

The winning photo of World Press Photo 2025 tells a tragic yet inspiring story of survival and hope. Mahmoud Ajjour’s Tragic Story Captures Global Attention.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE, ARTCENTRON

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS- A powerful and haunting image of a Gazan by Palestinian photojournalist Samar Abu Elouf wins this year’s World Press Photo of the Year. The photograph captures the devastating impact of conflict on the children in Gaza. The New York Times published the image, which features Mahmoud Ajjour, a young boy critically injured during an Israeli airstrike in March 2024. The photo is both intimate and disturbing, encapsulating the consequences of war in a single, unforgettable frame.

An explosion struck Mahmoud as he turned back to urge his family to keep fleeing, causing catastrophic injuries. He lost one arm, and the blast mutilated the other. Despite his pain, his story is now one of resilience. After his evacuation to Qatar, Mahmoud began treatment. He is now adapting to life with severe injuries. Mahmoud uses his feet to interact with his surroundings. He plays on his phone, writes, and even opens doors using only his feet.

Photographer and Subject Now Share a Life in Exile

Samar Abu Elouf also evacuated Gaza in December 2023. She now resides in the same residential complex in Doha as Mahmoud and other displaced Gazans. This proximity has enabled her to document more than a single moment of trauma. She captures the ongoing journey of resilience, recovery, and hope. Her deep connection to the subject adds to the photo’s emotional depth and significance.

A Quiet Image with a Loud Message

Joumana El Zein Khoury, Executive Director of World Press Photo, described the image as “a quiet photo that speaks loudly.” It tells not only the story of a single child but also reflects a wider humanitarian catastrophe. The United Nations estimated in December 2024 that Gaza had the highest number of child amputees per capita globally.

Khoury remarked that the image represents the long-term consequences of war. It underscores that the impact of conflict will extend far beyond the current generation. The 2025 contest marks the 70th anniversary of World Press Photo. This milestone remains poignant as the world continues to confront the harsh realities that photojournalism reveals.

Finalists Reflect Global Crises: Migration and Climate Change

The photo of Mahmoud was selected from a pool of thousands, but two other finalists also highlighted pressing global issues:

Night Crossing by John Moore: The photograph depicts Chinese migrants shivering in the rain after crossing the U.S.–Mexico border. This image humanizes migration, often reduced to political talking points.
Another compelling entry, Droughts in the Amazon by Musuk Nolte, portrays a young man delivering food to his mother in Manacapuru, a village severely affected by extreme drought. Once reachable by boat, the area now requires residents to walk long distances along a dry riverbed. This striking image highlights the severe consequences of climate change, even in ecosystems once abundant in water.

Both images underscore the diverse challenges facing humanity today, from forced displacement to environmental degradation.

What Is World Press Photo?

Established in the Netherlands in 1955, World Press Photo is a nonprofit that champions photojournalism and documentary photography. The organization’s mission is to foster understanding, dialogue, and action through powerful visual storytelling.

Each year, the World Press Photo Contest receives tens of thousands of submissions. The 2025 contest received over 59,000 entries from 3,778 photographers across 141 countries. Six regional juries made the initial selections for the contest. Subsequently, a global jury—composed of the regional chairs and a global chair—chose the final winners.

Dutch Photographers Among Top Winners

Among the global winners were two from the Netherlands:

Prins de Vos: Recognized for the photo series Mika
Marijn Fiddler: Honored for capturing bodybuilder Tamale Safalu training outside his home in Kampala, Uganda

These selections reflect the contest’s commitment to diverse narratives and global representation.

World Press Photo 2025 Top Themes: Conflict, Migration, Climate

The 2025 edition of World Press Photo centered around three major themes: conflict, migration, and the climate crisis. These topics defined the jury’s decisions and highlighted the urgent need for international awareness and response.

Lucy Conticello, chair of the global jury, emphasized the importance of images that “start conversations.” She described the winning photograph as a portrait of contradiction—youth and pain, innocence and horror. The photo of Mahmoud features soft lighting and gentle shadows. However, beneath this calm aesthetic lies a grim truth: the child has lost both arms, a heartbreaking result of senseless violence.

Exhibition Tour to Showcase Global Photojournalism

The winning images from the 2025 World Press Photo Contest will form part of a traveling exhibition. This exhibition will visit over 60 cities worldwide. Venues include:

London
Rome
Berlin
Mexico City
Montreal
Jakarta

The organization estimates that millions more will engage with the winning entries online. These events aim to bring compelling stories to global audiences. They also serve as a reminder of photography’s unique ability to document and convey truth.

Why This Photo Matters

Mahmoud Ajjour’s story transcends a single photograph. It symbolizes the plight of thousands of children affected by modern warfare. His injuries, while personal, reflect a systemic failure to protect the most vulnerable. Moreover, the image raises significant ethical and humanitarian concerns. It prompts critical questions about how journalists cover conflict zones. It challenges who can tell these stories—and how the world chooses to respond to such atrocities.

The fact that the photographer and subject are from the same community only adds to the narrative’s authenticity and urgency. In amplifying Mahmoud’s voice, World Press Photo 2025 does not just document suffering—it demands recognition and, ultimately, action.