Abu Alekh(Al Jazeera journalist), a US Palestinian citizen, was killed on May 11 while covering an Israel military exercise in the unstable town of…
- Al Jazeera journalist accidentally shot by Israeli forces.
- Israel denies the allegations of intentionally targeting Abu Alekh.
- There is a possibility that Abu Alekh was shot by Palestinian gunmen.
Israeli investigators into the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in May reasoned that she was probably shot accidentally by an Israeli troop. However, it was not intentionally targeted, the military said on Monday.
Abu Alekh, a US Palestinian citizen, was killed on May 11 while covering an Israel military exercise in the unstable town of Jenin in the occupied West Bengal in situations that remain disputed mainly.
The Israeli forces say that soldiers performing operations in Jenin had come under large fires from each side and had fired back, including close to the region where Abu Alekh was standing about 200 meters from their location. However, they had been unable to recognize her as a journalist.
It said, “there is a considerable possibility that Abu Alekh was unintentionally shot by IDF gunfire that was shot toward suspects recognized as armed Palestinian gunmen. It said it was also possible that she was attacked by Palestinian gunmen.
Notably, the most identifiable face reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian dispute for two decades, Abu Alekh’s death caused shock across the globe, mainly after police hit mourners at the funeral in Jerusalem.
Investigation proves Israel killed an Al Jazeera reporter
Other observed reports of the incident had conflicted that Israeli positions were under fire from the region where Abu Alekh was standing when she was shot.
“All proofs, facts, and investigations have been carried out confirmed that Israel was the culprit and that it had killed the Al Jazeera journalist and it should bear responsibility for its offense,” said Nabil Abu Rudeinah, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Israeli investigation, which contained interviews with IDF troops, investigation of the incident in addition to the audio and video recordings, realized it was impossible to detect the source of the gunfire that shot Abu Alekh.
However, Israel has constantly rejected she was intentionally targeted by its military and said the investigation proved that troops had acted according to their rules of engagement.
“We can say for 100% sure that no IDF troop knowingly targeted fire on a reported or non-involved individual on the ground,” a senior military officer who explained to journalists on the findings of the investigations said.
A report from the US human rights office in June said Abu Alekh had been standing with other reporters and was distinctly recognizable as a journalist from her helmet and blue flak jacket flagged with a press badge when she was killed by a single bullet.
A co-worker was wounded in the incident by another bullet. The report said information it had collected showed she had been shot by an Israeli troop.
Palestinian officials and Abu Alekh’s own family have said they think she was intentionally shot, and they have denied Israeli statements that there were forces near where she was standing.
Forensic examination of the bullet, which shot her, held under US supervision in July, failed to reach any decision as the shell was too severely damaged.
A report from the US State Department in July showed that the Al Jazeera journalist was likely shot by fire from an Israeli position. However, there was no proof to prove she was deliberately targeted by Israeli forces.
