Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, one of the most famous of the Arab channel Al-Jazeera, was killed on the morning of Wednesday May 11 by Israeli army fire, according to Palestinian witnesses and officials, while covering clashes in the Jenin area of the occupied West Bank.
Shireen Abu Akleh died in hospital, where she had been transported, according to the Qatari channel (in English). The Al-Jazeera correspondent was « murdered in cold blood » by the Israeli army, also says the channel for which she worked in a press release, « which is clearly a murder, in violation of international laws and standards ».
Qatar’s Deputy Foreign Minister later said that Shireen Abu Akleh had been killed by Israeli forces in« shot in the face while wearing a ‘press’ jacket and helmet ». « Shireen Abu Akleh was covering their attack in the Jenin refugee camp. This Israeli state terrorism must end »wrote Lolwah Al Khater on Twitter.
Israeli occupation killed Aljazeera journalist Sherine Abu Aqleh by shooting her in the face while wearing the Press vest and a helmet. She was covering their attack in Jenin refugee camp. This state sponsored Israeli terrorism must STOP, unconditional support to Israel must END. pic.twitter.com/Zg5QZkJ2bx
— لولوة الخاطر Lolwah Alkhater (@Lolwah_Alkhater) May 11, 2022
According to one of the journalist’s colleagues, videos of the incident show Shireen Abu Akleh being shot in the head. In tears, this Al-Jazeera reporter added that she was a « highly respected journalist », who works for the chain since the start of the second Palestinian intifada in 2000.
For its part, the Israeli army reacted on Twitter and claimed that its soldiers had responded to « massive shots » from dozens of armed Palestinian men. « The IDF is investigating the event and investigating the possibility that journalists were hit by Palestinian gunmen, » says the Israeli army.
The soldiers returned fire in the direction of the source of the fire, and shots were identified.
The IDF is investigating the event and investigating the possibility that journalists were shot by Palestinian gunmen. 3/3
— Tsahal (@Tsahal_IDF) May 11, 2022
During the operation, heavy fire was fired at the Israeli soldiers by dozens of armed Palestinian men. The terrorists also threw explosive devices towards the soldiers. 2/3
— Tsahal (@Tsahal_IDF) May 11, 2022
Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh has « most likely » was killed by Palestinian and non-Israeli fire, then hammered Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. « Based on the information we have gathered, it seems likely that armed Palestinians, who opened fire indiscriminately at this time, were responsible for the journalist’s unfortunate death. »he said in a statement.
Since March 22, Israel has been the target of a series of attacks that have killed at least 18 people. Two of his attacks were perpetrated by Israeli Arabs, and four of them by Palestinians, including three young people from Jenin, where the Israeli army has stepped up operations in recent weeks.
Furthermore, the death of Shireen Abu Akleh comes almost a year to the day after the destruction of the Jalaa tower, where the offices of the Qatari channel Al-Jazeera were located, in the Gaza Strip. An Israeli airstrike had demolished the building in the midst of a war between the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and the Jewish state.