Palestinian journalist Yahya Al-Yaqoubi, a graduate of the Department of Journalism and Media at Islamic University of Gaza, has been awarded the 2025 Mohamed Hassanein Heikal Prize for Arab Journalism in recognition of his reporting on the war in Gaza.
Al-Yaqoubi received the prestigious annual award for a portfolio of work documenting the realities and human cost of the ongoing war. The prize, presented by the Mohamed Hassanein Heikal Foundation on the anniversary of the late Egyptian journalist’s birth, is regarded as one of the Arab world’s highest honours for professional journalistic excellence.
The award was announced at a ceremony hosted by the Heikal Foundation and the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate at its headquarters in Cairo, attended by leading Egyptian media figures.
In a recorded message shown during the ceremony from his displacement tent in Gaza, Al-Yaqoubi said: “Only days ago, I emerged from heavy bombardment in Gaza City to yet another place of displacement. War does not distinguish between journalist and civilian — everyone is targeted. We in the press have become a primary target because we carry the image, the voice and the word.”
Despite the hardships of war and repeated displacement, Al-Yaqoubi described the award as a deeply meaningful addition to his professional journey. He dedicated the honour to the Palestinian people, to his family, and to those killed in Gaza, affirming that journalists have both a professional and national duty to remain in the field.
Al-Yaqoubi has previously received several international accolades, including the Samir Kassir Award for Press Freedom and the Press House and International Committee of the Red Cross Award (twice). In 2022, he was honoured in Doha by the International Sports Press Association and recognised by the European Union in Tunisia after reaching the finals of regional and international journalism competitions.
