The photo of the year of 2025 World Press has been awarded to Samar Abu Elouff, a Palestinian photographer based in Doha, because of its moving image of Mahmoud Ajjour, a seriously injured child while fleeing an Israeli attack.
Captured for the New York Times newspaper, the photograph transmits Mahmoud’s suffering and resistance powerfully after an explosion in March last year left one of his cut arms and the other mutilated.
Since its evacuation of Gaza in December 2023, Abu Eluff has been documenting the experiences of people like Mahmoud, who sought medical treatment abroad.
Joumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of World Press Photo, an Amsterdam -based organization, described the image as “quiet” but deeply shocking, captures the intimate suffering of a child also also talks about the broader repercussions of Global Hteute.
The winner and two finalists were announced on Thursday, a duration of the press opening of the World Press Photo Exhibition in Amsterdam. The exhibition will travel to more than 60 locations worldwide, showing some of the most convincing and visual stories of the year.
For 70 years, World Press photo contest has honored the best in photojournalism. This year’s contest received at least 59,000 photographer presentations in 141 countries, with powerful stories of struggle, challenge, warmth and courage.
These are some of this year’s main images: