A haunting look at the human toll of the Israel-Hamas war has been named the 2024 World Press Photo of the Year. Taken by Palestinian photojournalist Mohammed Salem for Reuters, it shows a woman cradling the body of her 5-year-old niece, who was killed when an Israeli missile struck their home.
Based in the Gaza Strip, Salem has a first-hand view of the horrors of war and took the image at a hospital morgue. “I felt the picture sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip,” he said. “People were confused, running from one place to another, anxious to know the fate of their loved ones, and this woman caught my eye as she was holding the body of the little girl and refused to let go.”
For the 67th edition of the contest, the awarded photographs were selected from 61,062 entries by 3,851 photographers from 130 countries. Salem is joined by three other photographers, who were also singled out for the Story of the Year, Long-Term Project Award, and Open Format Award. The global winners were selected from the regional winners, which were announced two weeks ago. This year, the global winners are a true reflection of the world, coming from Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America.
Julia Kochetova, who won the Open Format Award, also gave her personal take on war with War is Personal. Mixing still photography, audio, sketches, and other multimedia, the Ukrainian photographer paints a portrait of what it’s like to live in a warzone.
From Alejandro Cegarra‘s black-and-white look at migrants and their journey to the Mexico-U.S. border to Lee-Ann Olwage‘s moving tale of an African country’s struggle to accept dementia, the winners are unforgettable.
All of the winners will see their work included in the World Press Photo Annual Exhibition, which will travel to 70 cities in 30 countries.
Alejandro Cegarra won the Long-Term Project Award for his look at Mexico’s toughened stance on migrants and asylum seekers.