Palestinian freelance photographer Mahmoud Abu Hamda has won the top photography prize at the prestigious Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award for War Correspondents for his work documenting life in Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing war on the Strip. His winning photographs capture the realities displaced Palestinians face, bringing stories from Gaza to an international audience.
His Winning Photograph Captures a Displaced Child and His Birds
Abu Hamda received the Nikon First Prize for his reportage, What the War Leaves Behind It, selected by an international jury chaired by veteran BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet.
The winning photograph shows a displaced child from Beit Hanoun who fled with his family to a university converted into a shelter, bringing his birds along with him. The image offers a glimpse into the lives of Palestinians forced to leave their homes and the belongings they try to hold on to amid the destruction.
He Sent His Unpublished Work Directly to the Jury
Based in Gaza, Abu Hamda personally submitted his reportage directly to the Bayeux jury. His photographs document everyday life across the Strip and the hardships Palestinians have endured since Israel launched its military offensive following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
Although he could not attend the award ceremony in Bayeux, France, Abu Hamda sent a video message to the event, reflecting on the significance of having his work reach audiences beyond Gaza.
“My greatest honour is that these photos have been able to leave the borders of Gaza,” he said.
He Also Won the Public’s Choice Award
Alongside the Nikon First Prize, Abu Hamda won the Public’s Choice Award for his reportage, What War Leaves Behind. The double recognition highlights his work’s impact with both the award’s international jury and the public.
The Third Consecutive Year a Palestinian Photographer Has Won
Abu Hamda’s win marks the third consecutive year that a Palestinian photographer documenting the war in Gaza has received the Bayeux award’s Nikon First Prize.
He follows Agence France-Presse photographer Mahmud Hams, who won in 2024, and Saher Alghorra of Zuma Press, who received the award in 2025.
Together, their wins reflect the continued importance of Palestinian photographers in documenting the realities of the war and ensuring that stories from Gaza reach audiences around the world.
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