The picture of the boy Mahmoud Ajjour was taken by photographer Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times last year.
One of the hardest things, as Mahmoud's mother told me, was how the first thing he said when he realized his arms were amputated was: "How will I be able to hug you?", says Samar Abu Elouf.
Elouf is herself from Gaza and is now devoting herself to portraying injured Palestinians who have been evacuated to Doha.
This is a silent photography that shouts with a loud voice. It tells about a single boy, but also about a war that will affect several generations, says Joumana El Zein Khoury, CEO of World Press Photo.
The jury highlights the image's "strong composition and knowledge of light", and how the image raises questions about the little boy's future.
In total, the jury assessed 59,320 images by 3,778 photojournalists from around the world.
