- The Palestinian Authority has released its investigation into the killing of Al Jazira journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
- The Palestinian Authority holds the Israeli army responsible for the headshot and insinuates an intent to kill.
- Israel has dropped its investigation because the cartridge cannot be forensically examined. The Palestinian authorities refuse to hand them over.
The Palestinian Authority said its investigation into the death of Al Jazira journalist Shireen Abu Akleh proved she was deliberately killed by Israeli forces. Israel dismissed the findings as biased and unfounded.
Witnesses and Palestinian officials said the journalist was hit by Israeli fire. Various media reports (CNN, AP, Al Jazira) also support this view. Israel, on the other hand, claims she was shot dead during a skirmish between its soldiers and Palestinian militants.
Only a ballistics analysis of the bullet — which is in the possession of the Palestinian Authority — and the soldiers’ rifles can, according to Israel, clarify who fired the fatal shot.
No final result possible
A reconstruction of the events by the AP news agency has quoted eyewitnesses as saying Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead by Israeli soldiers, despite wearing a helmet and vest that clearly identified her as a media representative. However, the reconstruction also states that it is impossible to come to a definitive conclusion without further forensic analysis.