#New York #Neal Conan Prize #Gaza Journalism #Mohammed Mhawish

Mohammed R. Mhawish Receives 2025 Neal Conan Prize for Journalism Excellence

On November 22, 2025, during a ceremony held in New York City, Mohammed R. Mhawish was awarded the Neal Conan Prize for Journalism Excellence, which comes with a $50,000 honorarium. This award recognizes his courageous reporting on life in Gaza amidst ongoing conflict and the unprecedented dangers faced by journalists covering these events.

Mhawish, a journalist hailing from Gaza, dedicated his acceptance speech to the memory of his 249 colleagues who lost their lives while reporting in the region since October 2023. His work has appeared in esteemed publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Nation, and This American Life. His articles have been praised for their accuracy, meticulous fact-checking, and deep humanity, showcasing the resilience of civilians under dire circumstances.

During the award ceremony, Mhawish participated in a panel discussion alongside former winners, Jane Ferguson and Hind Hassan, moderated by Bruce Shapiro from the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma. In a poignant moment, Mhawish recounted his harrowing experience surviving an attack by Israeli armed forces, describing how he was buried under rubble for several hours after his family's home was destroyed in a strike that also claimed the lives of family members.

The Impact of War on Journalism

The past two years have been devastating for journalists around the globe, marking the deadliest period since record-keeping began. More than 249 Palestinian journalists have died since October 2023—an alarming statistic that surpasses the total number of journalist fatalities during remarkable conflicts like World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and even the Afghanistan War following September 11. The sheer toll of fatalities in the Palestinian conflict highlights the alarming risks encountered by Mhawish and his colleagues, with over 50 fellow journalists perishing while covering or attempting to escape the conflict.

Hind Hassan, a 2024 prize winner, stated, "Palestinian journalists are being dehumanized, overlooked, and persecuted. Yet they continue to speak the truth, even as the world debates their existence, professionalism, and right to live safely." Jane Ferguson, the inaugural winner of the prize, emphasized, "The destruction in Gaza is something I have not witnessed in two decades of war reporting. It is unprecedented in terms of scale, civilian casualty numbers, and the collapse of fundamental protections that should safeguard journalists and ordinary families alike."

Mhawish articulated his view on journalism in Gaza, saying, "For me, journalism was never a career choice. It was a last resort, a manner to ensure my community wouldn't be forgotten, a way to say we were here. This happened, so remember us." His remarks were met with acknowledgment from the Advisory Committee, which noted, "Mhawish’s work constitutes one of the most essential and uncompromising testimonies of civilian life during the war in Gaza."

Supporting Rigorous Journalism in a Changing Industry

The Neal Conan Prize has a history of promoting credible, human-centered journalism during a challenging time for the news industry. Writer Gretel Ehrlich reminisced on how, when the show Talk of the Nation was canceled,