“The Gaza Family Torn Apart by IDF Snipers from Chicago and Munich” Wins a 2026 National Headliner Award

“The Gaza Family Torn Apart by IDF Snipers from Chicago and Munich” investigation won Third Place in the “Online Investigative Reporting for Digital Partnerships with Other News Outlets” category at the 2026 National Headliner Awards.

This five-month investigation by ARIJ, the Guardian, paper trail media, Der Spiegel, ZDF, Der Standard and De Tijd has identified the six people shot by Israeli snipers on November 22, 2023. Through interviews with survivors, witnesses and family members, reviews of death certificates, medical records and geolocated images the investigation revealed how a family from Gaza City’s Tal al Hawa neighborhood was torn apart in a few hours by men who grew up in Naperville, Illinois and Munich, Germany.

Founded in 1934, the National Headliner Awards are one of the oldest and largest annual contests recognizing journalistic merit in the communications industry. The awards celebrate outstanding reporting, broadcasting, and digital media, highlighting stories of exceptional public service and impactful investigative journalism.