Overview

• Emily Damari, held captive by Hamas for nearly 500 days, criticized the Pulitzer board for awarding Mosab Abu Toha, calling him the 'modern-day equivalent of a Holocaust denier.'
• Abu Toha, a Palestinian poet, won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his New Yorker essays on Gaza, which the board praised for their depth and memoir-like intimacy.
• Damari highlighted Abu Toha's social media posts, where he questioned whether Israeli captives, including herself, could be considered hostages and dismissed documented atrocities.
• The Pulitzer board defended its decision, stating that awards are based solely on submitted works, while critics argue it reflects ideological bias and erases victims' experiences.
• The controversy has reignited debates about journalistic ethics, institutional responsibility, and the representation of contested voices in prestigious awards.