A Palestinian woman in the Gaza Strip’s Al-Shati refugee camp carries a rabbit home for dinner, January 1, 1993.
Larry Towell masterfully captured scenes in the Gaza Strip during what would become the final year of the First Intifada, the first general Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupying forces.
His photographs, which would later win first prize in the World Press Photo’s 1994 Photo Contest for stories in the General News category, depict moments of strength and moments of great grief. He documents resistance, both tangible and symbolic, and his subjects vary tremendously: children, generations of wives and husbands, and occupying soldiers. The collection is heavy, as is most of his body of work in Palestine.
Towell remains one of my favorite photographers for two reasons: his images are honest and gritty, and he was unafraid to portray Palestinians as strong and capable at a time when many others viewed Palestinians as rogue, disorganized, and even undeserving.
A woman breaks stones to use against Israeli occupying soldiers in Palestine Square in Gaza City, January 1, 1993.
A Palestinian child is watched by an Israeli soldier after demonstrations by Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, September 1, 1993.
Palestinian women demand an end to the Israeli occupation in what would become the final year of the First Intifada, January 1, 1993.
Stone-throwing Palestinian youth run from Israeli soldiers firing toward them, January 1, 1993. The Israeli military maintained a shoot-to-kill policy.
A boy raises the Palestinian flag above his head the day after the official end of the First Intifada, September 14, 1993.
The photographs featured above were all taken by Larry Towell. Visit the World Press Photo to see the full collection and to view other award-winning photographs.