Location: Israel, Jenin           
Date: May 11, 2022

*This report is updated on May 20, 2022.

Al Jazeera’s veteran Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot in the head and killed by Israeli forces while covering an Israeli Defence Force (IDF) raid in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin on May 11. Shireen was wearing a press vest when hit by the bullet. She was shifted to a hospital and declared dead on arrival. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is appalled at the impunity with which Israel continue to operate against Palestinian journalists. We extend our deepest condolences to Shireen’s family and colleagues and demand justice.

The circumstances of the well-known Palestinian reporter were not clear, but videos of the incident show that Shireen was shot in the head, said Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim, shortly after the killing. 

“What we know for now is that the Palestinian health ministry has announced her death. Shireen Abu Akleh, was covering the events unfolding in Jenin, specifically an Israeli raid on the city, which is north of occupied West Bank, when she was hit by a bullet to the head,” said Nida, speaking from the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

Shireen was one of Al Jazeera’s first field correspondents, joining the network in 1997. 

“As you can imagine, this is a shock to the journalists who have been working with her,” said Nida, referring to Shireen as a “very well respected journalist”.

Another Palestinian journalist Ali Samoudi was shot in the back on the same day. He is undergoing treatment at a hospital and is said to be in stable condition. 

Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Ramallah, Walid al-Omary, that that there was no shooting carried out by Palestinian gunmen, disputing an Israeli statement that referenced the possibility.

"Condemn and hold the Israeli occupation forces accountable for deliberately targeting and killing our colleague,” stressed Al-Jazeera in a statement aired on its channel. The news outlet called on the international community for support and vowed to fight for justice for Shireen. “We pledge to prosecute the perpetrators legally, no matter how hard they try to cover up their crime, and bring them to justice.” 

Amid local and global outrage, the Israeli military claimed its forces were under attack from heavy gunfire and explosives while operating in Jenin. The ministry maintained that it was “investigating the event and looking into the possibility that the journalists were hit by the Palestinian gunmen”.

Wounded journalist Samoudi, who was working as Shireen’s producer, told the Associated Press they were among a group of seven reporters who went to cover the raid early Wednesday, reported American-based global news outlet Bloomberg. 

Samoudi said they were all wearing protective gear that clearly marked them as reporters, and they passed by Israeli troops so the soldiers would see them and know that they were there.

The news producer said the first shot missed them, then a second struck him, and a third killed Shireen. He said there were no militants or other civilians in the area — only the reporters and the army.

Samoudi denounced the Israeli military's suggestion that they were shot by militants as a “complete lie.”

Shaza Hanaysheh, a journalist with a Palestinian news website, who was also at the scene of the crime, gave a similar account in an interview with Al Jazeera's Arabic channel, saying there were no clashes or shooting in the immediate area.

She said that when the shots rang out she and Shireen ran toward a tree to take shelter. “I reached the tree before Shireen. She fell on the ground. The soldiers did not stop shooting even after she fell. Every time I extended my hand toward Shireen, the soldiers fired at us.”

The Palistinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank condemned the “shocking crime” and refused Israel’s offer of a joint investigation and autopsy. 

Shireen was, 51, born in Jerusalem and regularly reported on-camera from across the Palestinian territories. As a senior television correspondent she had become a household name across the Arab world for her bold coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. She had covered events in the region, ranging from the Gaza wars of 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2021 to the daring jailbreak of six Palestinians who escaped a maximum-security prison in northern Israel last September for Al Jazeera. She also covered regional news, including the war in Lebanon in 2006. At the time of her death, she had been learning Hebrew to understand Israeli media narratives better, said Nida, adding that Shireen had just finished a diploma in digital media. Know more about Shireen’s work here. 

In her last email to the news network, Shireen informed Al Jazeera’s Ramallah bureau at 6:13am (3:13 GMT)  of the raid. “Occupation forces storm Jenin and besiege a house in the Jabriyat neighborhood. On the way there – I will bring you news as soon as the picture becomes clear.”

After the horrific killing, support poured in for Shireen on social media and elsewhere. 

Political advocate and rights defender based in Ramallah, Salem Barahmeh shared a video of the journalist in which she states: “I chose journalism to be close to people. It might not be easy to change the reality but at least I could bring their voice to the world. I am Shireen Abu Akleh”.

Rights defender and Palestinian writer Mohammad El-Kurd who has consistently raised his voice against Israeli overreaches condemned the killing. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is appalled at Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing and the indiscriminate gunfire that Israeli forces opened on journalists on the ground. We demand justice for her death and the injuries to her colleague. The Israeli state must be held accountable for its repeated abuse against Palestinian journalists. The impunity with which it has been allowed to operate has only led to further violence, as highlighted in our 2022 quarterly report. Her brutal killing is a violation of international law and yet the Israeli state benefits from the leeway it is allowed by global political leaders. Shireen’s killing is a loss to journalism everywhere. Her brave reporting from the region and illustrious journalistic career will forever remain an inspiration. We extend our deepest condolences to Shireen’s family, colleagues and friends. 

On May 19, 2022, Israel announced that it will not initiate a criminal investigation into Shireen’s killing as it was during an “active combative situation”. Instead, Israel claimed an “operational inquiry” would be launched. Palestinian officials and witnesses to the killing have held Israeli soldiers responsible for the killing. But after initially claiming that there was chaos and exchange of fire during which a Palestinian bullet could have hit Shireen, Israel backtracked and said it could have been an errant Israeli bullet. 

On May 19, the Israeli Defense Forces released a statement stating that “dozens of Palestinian gunmen fired recklessly and indiscriminately while IDF soldiers were conducting counter-terrorism activities in the Jenin camp” on the day that Shireen was killed.  “An exchange of fire occurred between Palestinian gunmen and the soldiers. Toward the end of the activity, the journalist Shireen Abu [Aqleh], who was present at the battle zone during the exchange of fire, was hit…Due to the nature of the active combat situation, an immediate [military criminal] investigation was not launched. A decision regarding the necessity of an…investigation will be determined by the military advocacy, in accordance with the findings of the still-ongoing operational inquiry, as is standard in such cases.” 

Al-Jazeera and eyewitness accounts contradict Israel’s claims. The CFWIJ joins the voices of Palestinian and global political leadership as well as press freedom and rights defenders in calling for a transparent and fair investigation. The impunity with which crimes against Palestinian journalists are carried out must end! 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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