An Israeli military investigation into the shooting death of a Palestinian American journalist in May has concluded that it is highly likely she was killed by Israeli gunfire.
The findings of the investigation released on Monday by the Israeli Defense Forces revealed that Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was “accidentally hit” by bullets fired toward Palestinian gunmen by Israeli forces during a raid of an alleged terrorist compound in the West Bank town of Jenin on May 11. The Israeli military initially blamed indiscriminate Palestinian gunfire for Abu Akleh’s death.
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“There is a high possibility that Shireen was accidentally hit by IDF gunfire that was fired toward suspects identified as armed Palestinian gunmen during an exchange of fire in which life-risking, widespread, and indiscriminate shots were fired toward IDF soldiers,” an IDF spokesperson said Monday, according to the Jerusalem Post.
“We can say for 100% sure that no IDF soldier intentionally directed fire on a reporter or non-involved person on the ground,” a senior Israeli military official added, according to Reuters.
The Israeli investigation reportedly included interviews with soldiers, analysis of the scene, and audio and video recordings. It found it was “not possible to unequivocally determine the source of the gunfire” that struck Abu Akleh.
Her family said it was “deeply hurt, frustrated, and disappointed” by the Israeli investigatory findings, claiming Israel “tried to obscure the truth and avoid responsibility for killing Shireen Abu Akleh,” according to Reuters.
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The U.S. State Department announced in July that an independent investigation conducted by third-party forensic examiners overseen by the U.S. government could not definitively determine who fired the shot that killed Abu Akleh. However, similar to the IDF investigation, the State Department found it was likely Israeli gunfire that killed her.
An investigation done by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights found in June that Abu Akleh’s shooter was in fact a member of the IDF.
