GAZA CITY
The Information Ministry in the Gaza Strip has awarded Anadolu Agency reporter Yasser al-Banna for a feature on the tragedy of a Gazan family affected by the storm Alexa which battered the impoverished coastal enclave in December.
Al-Bana won the top prize in the feature category of the "Loyalty to Palestinian Journalist" award for 2013 for his report on Farag Lotfy, a poor Gazan man who lost his only means of livelihood when his horse sank in the floods which submerged his home.
Around 100 Gazan journalists vied for the top prizes in the five categories of the awards.
The massive storm had displaced around 5,250 people who took shelter in camps across the Gaza Strip after their homes were damaged.
Around 3,300 housing units had been submerged, with the Gaza government estimating the damage left by the storm at $64 million.
By Mustafa Haboosh
englishnews@aa.com.tr
