Al Jazeera English nominated for Monte-Carlo TV Festival Award

The Samouni Massacre was reported by Al Jazeera English correspondent, Sherine Tadros and freelance cameraman/sound recordist Mohamad Abu Sido, and aired on January 12, 2009.

AJE's Samouni Massacre documented the first days of the Gaza ground invasion, when Israeli troops bombed and shelled homes in the Zeitoun neighborhood. In one house, where 30 members of the Samouni family were residing, Israeli fire killed more than 10 men, woman and children inside. Relatives spent the next 3 days inside their home with their dead relatives until Israel allowed ambulances into the area.

Al Jazeera English was the first English speaking network to broadcast the story of what actually happened inside the Samouni house during those days. Al Jazeera's correspondent Sherine Tadros and her crew were among the first to speak to the Samounis who escaped the house and for the following 3 days spoke to family members inside the home by telephone.

Working closely with the Red Cross and ambulance drivers to gather information, AJE's Tadros and crew repeatedly found themselves dodging bombs and missile strikes to get as close to the house as possible while Israeli ground troops were still operating around them in this extremely hazardous war zone.

Last year, Al Jazeera English News won the Monte-Carlo TV Festival Golden Nymph Award for 'Best 24 Hour News Program' for Nour Odeh's live coverage of the besieged journalists in Gaza in 2007. This year's Monte-Carlo TV Festival awards will be held June 7-11, 2009.