A journalism institute bestowed its first-place award for “Team Picture of the Year” on the Associated Press (AP) for its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. The photo, taken by a freelance photographer, showed the horrifying image of Hamas terrorists parading a young Israeli woman’s body through the streets of Gaza.
The Reynolds Journalism Institute, which calls itself the world’s oldest photojournalism competition, featured the photo taken by photographer Ali Mahmud —who actually accompanied Hamas terrorists during the murderous October 7 massacre in which over 1200 Israelis were slain — that showed Shani Louk.
“The grim photo featuring Shani Louk’s body was among a collection of 20 images that helped the Associated Press secure first place in one of the Pictures of the Year International award categories earlier this month,” The New York Post noted, adding, “In announcing the AP’s win, the award organizers posted the unblurred image of Louk’s lifeless body on its Instagram page.”
The Reynolds Journalism Institute wrote, “This premiere category recognizes the collaborative effort of a photography staff covering a single topic or news story. It is a narrative picture story that consists of images taken as part of a team effort to cover a single issue or news story.”
It says of the “Pictures of the Year” competition, “Pictures of the Year International selects judges who maintain the highest journalistic and ethical standards. We have confidence that these same values will apply as jurors for POYi.”
“Other photos, mostly attributed to other photographers on behalf of the Associated Press, were snapped of destroyed or damaged buildings in Gaza, injured or dead Palestinians, Israelis mourning at funerals or fleeing from rocket attacks,” The Jerusalem Post reported. “However, many of these photos allude to photographer’s previous knowledge and possible involvement of the massive attack launched on Israeli soil – in order to get the ‘shot of a lifetime.’”
In late October, Israeli President Isaac Herzog confirmed that a piece of a skull had been found with DNA that matched Louk.
“On that day, they were in a position to take pictures of Hamas abducting innocent Israelis into Gaza,” Honest Reporting said of the AP photojournalists who were with the Hamas terrorists. “They could not have done so without the passive or active agreement of terrorists on the ground.”
Congratulations to @AP for winning a Pictures of the Year award. How does it feel to do so on the back of Palestinian photojournalists who infiltrated Israel on Oct. 7 and took photos like the one below of Shani Louk's dead body in a Hamas pickup?
Was @RJI bothered about that… pic.twitter.com/MSasc9yzVp
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) March 22, 2024