He thought they would return in a couple of days, a week at most. Since then, he has been displaced a dozen times within the 365 sq. km. strip, his son has been born, and he has reported live on the death of members of his family in an Israeli military operation. Photo © EPA/HAITHAM IMAD.
Congratulations to EPA photo agency photojournalist Haitham Imad whose work from Gaza earned him this year’s prize for Best Photography at The Marco Luchetta International Press Award 2025.
As ongoing restrictions prevented Imad from leaving Gaza, EPA’s Editor-in-Chief, Tomas Stargardter, accepted the award on his behalf during the ceremony in Trieste, Italy last Saturday evening — an event that highlighted not only the strength of Imad’s winning image, but also the courage of all journalists documenting the current war.
Imad’s winning photograph, part of the EPA Focus story The war in first person, captures a Palestinian journalist briefly playing with his child on the Gaza shoreline. In a recorded video message, Imad said the scene was “an honest and purely humane moment” at the beach, “the last and only place for the people of Gaza to disconnect in an attempt to gain some normalcy, but the war always imposes itself”
During his speech, Stargardter underscored the significance of the award at a time when frontline journalists face unprecedented risks: “Our team in Gaza, Haitham Emad and Mohammed Saber, have endured many tribulations to keep the world informed about the war in Gaza. Their work has shown the world what is happening there. I cannot fathom what personal reservoir of courage that these two highly talented men have to dig in to be able to cover this conflict, day in and day out..”
“He continued, reflecting on the dangers faced by Gaza’s reporters: “The price for them in blood and treasure and peace of mind has been high. Many other fellow journalists and friends have lost their lives or been injured to be able to inform from Gaza. They are photojournalists who have to be there. Where the news happens. There is no other way, and that is the price we pay.”
“In his recorded statement for the ceremony in Trieste, Haitham Imad emphasized that the award belongs to all journalists in Gaza: “This award isn’t for me alone; it is a medal of pride and honor to all my journalist colleagues — those who have been martyred and those who are still with us — who paid their time and their lives to document the truth. It is also a recognition for all Palestinian journalists who are living the horrors of war, displacement and hunger and are still documenting in text and images despite the ongoing dangers. ”
“Despite having suffered a serious injury during the war, Imad reaffirmed his commitment to continuing his work. “I have not lost my faith in the message of journalism. On the contrary, it has grown stronger.”