U.S. authorities say Israeli military gunfire was “likely responsible” for the death of an Al Jazeera journalist
Independent investigators have been unable to “reach a definitive conclusion” about the death Shireen Abu Akleh.
The U.S. Department of State believes the bullet was too badly damaged to draw any conclusions about who is responsible.
The 51-year-old journalist was gunned down in the West Bank on 11 May. She was wearing a jacket and helmet marked ‘PRESS’ at the time.
“The USSC found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad on May 11, 2022, in Jenin, which followed a series of terrorist attacks in Israel.”
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The bullet was given to U.S. authorities on Saturday for examination.
The reporter was covering an Israeli operation in the West Bank, when Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian gunmen.
Her family says these recent findings are “cold comfort” and “insulting to Shireen’s memory”.
The U.N. human rights office believe Israeli soldiers were responsible for Abu Akleh’s death but Tel Aviv denies any wrongdoing.
