Pulitzer Prize 2025 Palestinian writer Abu Toha wins 'Nobel' for journalism for portraying Israeli devastation

Palestinian writer Abu Toha wins 'Nobel' for journalism for portraying Israeli devastation

Palestinian writer Mosab Abu Toha

Palestinian writer, poet and literary figure Mosab Abu Toha has won the Pulitzer Prize. He received the award in the opinion section. Meanwhile, pro-Israeli activists have demanded that he be expelled from the United States.

Abu Toha received the prestigious award, known as the 'Nobel' for journalism, for several articles published in the US-based magazine The New Yorker. The names of the Pulitzer winners were announced on Monday.

Abu Toha has portrayed the physical and psychological devastation carried out by Israel in Gaza, Palestine, in his various articles. Although his articles are in-depth investigative reports, he has presented them in a mix of personal memoirs, which has brought the wartime experience of the Palestinian people to life.

Abu Toha has portrayed the physical and psychological devastation carried out by Israel in Gaza, Palestine, in his various articles. Although his articles are in-depth investigative reports, he presents them mixed with personal memoirs, which bring the war experience of the Palestinian people to life.

Abu Toha wrote on social media, “I just won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. Let this be a message of hope. Let this be a story.”

Abu Toha was probably paying tribute to another Palestinian poet, Rifat Al-Ari. Al-Ari was killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza in December 2023. Al-Ari’s last poem was titled “If I Have to Die, Let This Be a Story.”

Abu Toha was detained by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2023. He was later released and sent to Egypt, from where Abu Toha moved to the United States.

In an article in The New Yorker, Abu Toha wrote, “In the past year, I have lost many parts of my memory that could be touched—people, places, and objects; that helped me remember the past. I have to fight to make good memories. Every house in Gaza that has been reduced to rubble is like an album, the pages of which are not filled with pictures; but with real people and bodies.’

Imagine, once you took refuge in a school in Gaza with your parents, siblings and children. You cannot protect anyone. You cannot give them any food, water or medicine. And now you are in the United States, in the country that is sponsoring this genocide. It is very heartbreaking.

Mosab Abu Toha, Palestinian writer, poet and literary figure

Recently, some right-wing groups in the United States have demanded that Abu Toha be expelled from that country. Fearing for his safety, Toha has also canceled several events at the university in the past few months.

In an Al Jazeera podcast last December, Abu Toha said that the feeling of not being able to stand by the people in Gaza is devastating. He also said, ‘Imagine, once you took refuge in a school in Gaza with your parents, siblings and children. You can't protect anyone. You can't give them food, water or medicine. And now you're in the United States, the country that is sponsoring this genocide. It's heartbreaking.'

In addition to Abu Toha, the news agency Reuters won the Pulitzer Prize this year (2025) for its fearless investigative reporting on the availability of the deadly drug fentanyl in the United States.

The Washington Post won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news. The New York Times won the Pulitzer in four categories this time.

This is one of the most important national awards in the United States, known as the 'Nobel' of journalism. The award has been given since 1917. In addition to journalism, this award is given for special contributions to literature, music and drama. A board at Columbia University announces the award every year.