"Author's Controversial Comparison of Gaza to Nazi-era Ghettos Sparks Award Ceremony Suspension"

Russian-American writer Masha Gessen received a German literary prize in a scaled-down ceremony after her article comparing Gaza to Nazi-era ghettos sparked controversy. The comparison was viewed as unacceptable in Germany, which strongly supports Israel as a form of remorse for the Holocaust. The criticism comes as Germany grapples with the fallout from the Israel-Hamas war and rising antisemitism. The sponsoring organization and the Bremen Senate withdrew from the original ceremony, but the award was still given in a different location with police security.