A heartbreaking photo of a nine-year-old Palestinian boy who lost both arms in an Israeli airstrike has won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year.
The image, taken by Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, shows Mahmoud Ajjour, who now lives in Doha after being severely injured in Gaza City last year. One arm was blown off in the blast, and the other was so badly damaged it had to be amputated.
Elouf, who is also from Gaza, said Mahmoud’s first words to his mother after realising his arms were gone were, “How will I be able to hug you?”
“This is a quiet photo that speaks loudly. It tells the story of one boy, but also of a wider war that will have an impact for generations,” said Joumana El Zein Khoury, World Press Photo executive director.
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The jury called the portrait “strong composition and attention to light,” saying it represents not just one boy’s pain, but the long-term impact of war. They praised its lighting, composition, and emotional depth.
Mahmoud is now learning to write, play games, and open doors using his feet. “His dream is simple,” the organisers said. “He wants to get prosthetics and live his life as any other child.”
Two other photos were named runners-up: one showing drought in the Amazon by Musuk Nolte, and another capturing Chinese migrants after a border crossing by John Moore.
The jury picked 42 winning images from over 59,000 entries submitted by photojournalists around the world.
