Gazan photographer wins Pictures of the Year award

A Gaza-based photographer has won a Pictures of the Year (POY) 2021 Award, marking the first time the award is won by someone living in the Palestinian territories.

Mohammed Al-Thalathini received an Award of Excellence for his Spot News image, which showed an Israeli missile before it impacts its target in the besieged Gaza Strip, during the latest Israeli bombing campaign on the enclave.

Al-Thalathini, a photographer for the German news agency DPA, was declared the winner of the POY on Friday.

He told The New Arab that his photograph was rated as "decisive" and "strong," stressing that it was taken at the right time and place.

Al-Thalathini expressed his happiness to be recognised by the award, adding "I happy to raise the name of Gaza globally, especially as it has been suffering from political and economic crises for years."

POY is a US-based organisation that runs the international competition every year in which hundreds of journalists submit their visual materials and photos.