War Reporting - Journalism Honours

The prestigious Bayeux War Correspondents' Awards on Saturday honoured reporters from Agence France-Presse, the BBC and others documenting conflict and strife around the world.

AFP photographer Mahmud Hams won the top prize for photos including his harrowing image of a woman crying during a search for victims after an Israeli strike on Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on October 17, 2023.

The picture was captured just days after the Gaza war erupted after the attack by Hamas militants against Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people.

Israel's ongoing retaliatory campaign in Gaza has wrought devastation and, according to data from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, killed 42,175 people, mainly civilians.

"I dedicate this award to all the journalists covering bravely and honestly the war in Gaza," Hams said.

"I want to tell my colleagues in Gaza that our message has been heard: the entire world is watching Gaza through our lenses," he added.

Andrew Harding of the BBC was awarded the radio prize for his investigation into the smugglers behind a doomed attempt by migrants to cross the English Channel from France to England.

The migrants' inflatable boat capsized during the crossing, leading to the deaths of five people including Sara, a seven-year-old Iraqi girl whose family was hoping to escape being sent back to their country.

- AFP