“A Palestinian Woman Embraces the Body of Her Niece” © Mohammed Salem, Reuters. Word Press Photo of the Year.
“Inas Abu Maamar (36) cradles the body of her niece Saly (5) who was killed, along with four other family members, when an Israeli missile struck their home. Khan Younis, Gaza, 17 October 2023”
Story: At the outset of the Israel-Hamas war, Israel instructed Gazans to evacuate to the south for their safety. Yet, according to reports from The Guardian and Al Jazeera, Israeli airstrikes heavily bombarded Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza on 17 October. Many of those killed were families who had left Gaza City days earlier. By the end of 2023, Palestinian women and children accounted for more than two-thirds of the death toll in Gaza, according to OHCHR. The photographer describes this photo, taken just days after his own wife gave birth, as a “powerful and sad moment that sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip.”
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.
“The Two Walls” © Alejandro Cegarra, The New York Times/Bloomberg. World Press Photo Long-Term Project Award.
“The De Coto family poses for a portrait aboard “The Beast” while heading to Ciudad Juarez. This photo was taken three days before the expiration of Title 42, a US COVID-19 prevention measure that in effect allowed deportation of migrants without reviewing asylum claims. Since 2020, there have been over two million expulsions of migrants by US Customs and Border Protection under Title 42. Samalayuca, Mexico, 8 May 2023.”
Story: Since 2019, Mexico has transformed from a country that welcomed migrants and asylum seekers at its southern border to one that enforces strict immigration policies very similar to those of the United States. Immigration and foreign policies implemented by different US administrations, COVID-19 protocols, and political and economic turmoil across Central and South America contribute to the ongoing crisis at Mexico’s borders. These factors expose migrant families to violence, corruption, and precarious conditions in border towns. Informed by his own experience of migrating from his home in Venezuela to Mexico in 2017, photographer Alejandro Cegarra initiated this project in 2018 to document the plight of these deeply vulnerable migrant communities and highlight, with respect and sensitivity, their resilience.
“The Two Walls” © Alejandro Cegarra, The New York Times/Bloomberg. World Press Photo Long-Term Project Award.
“Ruben Soto (right), a migrant from Venezuela, sits with Rosa Bello, a Honduran migrant, on top of “The Beast.” Ruben and Rosa met in Mexico and fell in love on their way to the United States. Samalayuca, Mexico, 8 May 2023”
“The Two Walls” © Alejandro Cegarra, The New York Times/Bloomberg. World Press Photo Long-Term Project Award.
“Migrants use a homemade ladder to climb a section of the border wall with the help of a smuggler. Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, 1 April 2021.”
Lee-Ann Olwage’s touching story about Madagascar’s lack of understanding of dementia was named World Press Photo Story of the Year.
“Valim-babena” © Lee-Ann Olwage, for GEO. World Press Photo Story of the Year.
“Dada Paul and his granddaughter Odliatemix get ready for church. He has lived with dementia for 11 years. For much of that time his family assumed he had “gone mad” or attributed the symptoms to alcohol consumption. Only his daughter Fara noticed something different and continued caring for him. Antananarivo, Madagascar, 12 March 2023”
Story: In Madagascar, lack of public awareness surrounding dementia means that people displaying symptoms of memory loss are often stigmatized. For years, Paul Rakotozandriny, “Dada Paul”, (91), who lives with dementia, has been cared for by his daughter Fara Rafaraniriana (41). Their story illustrates the Malagasy principle of valim-babena – the duty of grown children to help their parents. With its dignified, intimate approach, this project presents another perspective on the issue, resonating with families across the world, while at the same time challenging conflict-focused stereotypes of Africa.
“Valim-babena” © Lee-Ann Olwage, for GEO. World Press Photo Story of the Year.
“Fara looks on as Dada Paul cleans a fish, as he does every Sunday afternoon. His fingers tremble as he does so, but he can still manage the task and finds it calming. Antananarivo, Madagascar, 12 March 2023”
“Valim-babena” © Lee-Ann Olwage, for GEO. World Press Photo Story of the Year.
“Fara and her daughter Odliatemix lie together on the bed they share with Dada Paul. Fara is the sole provider for the family of three. Only one organization in Madagascar, Masoandro Mody, provides support and training to family members of people living with dementia. Antananarivo, Madagascar, 12 March 2023”
Ukrainian photographer Julia Kochetova won the Open Format Award for War is Personal, which is her look at what it’s like to live in a war zone.
“War Is Personal” © Julia Kochetova. World Press Photo Open Format Award.
“Photograph from ‘War Is Personal.’”
Story: Amidst tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties and an effective stalemate that has lasted for months, there are no signs of peace on the horizon for Russia’s war in Ukraine. While news media updates its audience with statistics and maps, and international attention drifts elsewhere, the photographer has created a personal website that brings together photojournalism with the personal documentary style of a diary to show the world what it is like to live with war as an everyday reality.
“War Is Personal” © Julia Kochetova. World Press Photo Open Format Award.
“Photograph from ‘War Is Personal.’”
“War Is Personal” © Julia Kochetova. World Press Photo Open Format Award.
“Photograph from ‘War Is Personal.’”