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Rabat – A Palestinian probe has concluded that renowned Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was deliberately targeted by Israeli gunfire, confirming existing suspicions.
The findings, announced by Palestine’s attorney general, echo the results of a preliminary investigation two weeks ago.
The investigation was based on eyewitness accounts, inspections at the scene of the crime, and forensic medical reports, Attorney General Akram Al-Khatib said.
He confirmed that there were no Palestinian fighters near the scene, and that Israeli forces would have been able to see Abu Akleh and her colleagues, who were all clearly marked as members of the press.
Moreover, Al Jazeera announced that it would be referring the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC), amid growing calls for an independent investigation.
The Qatar-based media network said the killing was a “blatant murder” and “violation of international laws,” due to the deliberate targeting of war correspondents.
“We have documented [the crime] and submitted a file about it to the ICC prosecutor alongside other Israeli violations,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said on Monday.
Abu Akleh was shot in the face on May 11 while covering an Israeli raid in Jenin, a West Bank neighborhood that has for decades served as a refuge for displaced Palestinians.
The shooting immediately sparked outrage, with most observers accusing Israel of deliberately targeting the journalist, due to her two decade history of covering Israeli violations in the region.
Ali Samoudi, another journalist working with Abu Akleh, was also shot but is in stable condition now.
He and others who were at the scene have continuously stressed that the shooting was deliberate and conducted by Israeli forces.
Abu Akleh was an iconic face in Arab media and in the coverage of Palestine specifically, having worked for Al Jazeera for over 20 years from Palestine. She became one of the network’s most recognizable faces.
Read also: MENA Journalism Mourns Death of Iconic Reporter Shireen Abu Akleh
