Sherine Abu Aqla: Al-Jazeera journalist was shot dead in the West Bank | News of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israeli forces shot dead Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

She was shot, Wednesday, while covering the Israeli raids in the city of Jenin, and she was taken to hospital in a critical condition, according to the ministry and Al Jazeera journalists. Abu Okla was wearing a journalist’s jacket when she was killed.

The ministry said she was declared dead in hospital.

Another Al-Jazeera journalist, Ali Al-Samudi, was also wounded after being shot in the back. He is now in stable condition, and said that there were no Palestinian fighters when the journalists were shot, directly casting doubt on an Israeli statement that indicated the possibility of this happening.

“We were filming the Israeli army operation and suddenly they shot at us without asking us to leave or stop filming,” Al-Samoudi said. “The first bullet hit me and the second bullet hit Shireen…There was absolutely no Palestinian military resistance at the scene.”

Shatha Hunaisha, a Palestinian journalist who was present next to Abu Okla when she was wounded, told Al Jazeera that there were no confrontations between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli army, and said that the group of journalists had been targeted.

“We were four reporters, we all wore jackets, we all wore helmets,” Hanisha said. “The [Israeli] The occupation army did not stop shooting even after its fall. I couldn’t even reach my arm to pull it off because of the shots. The military was adamant about shooting to kill.”

Nidaa Ibrahim, from Al-Jazeera, said that the circumstances of Abu Oqla’s killing are still unfolding, but videos of the incident show that she was shot in the head.

What we know now is that the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced her death. Shireen Abu Oqla was covering the current events in Jenin, specifically an Israeli raid on the city in the northern occupied West Bank, when she was shot in the head. .

“As you can imagine, this is a shock to the journalists who have been working with her.”

Separately in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that Israeli forces shot Palestinian youth Thaer Muslat al-Yazuri in the town of al-Bireh near the illegal settlement of Psagot.

Ibrahim, crying, said Abu Okla was a “highly respected journalist.”

Abu Okla was one of the first field reporters for Al Jazeera, and joined the network in 1997.

The IDF said that he was attacked by heavy fire and explosives while working in Jenin, and that they returned fire. She added that she was “investigating the incident.”

The Fatah movement, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the killing of Abu Akle.

“Shirene’s targeting is a clear targeting of the truth, and [Israel] “It wants to cover up its crimes against the Palestinian people,” said Osama al-Qawasmi, a Fatah spokesman. Israel wants to send a message to journalists around the world that whoever wants to cover the truth will be shot.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said Tel Aviv was offering a “joint pathological investigation” into the “sad death” of Abu Akle. “Journalists in conflict zones must be protected,” he added.

Israeli forces bombed the offices of Al Jazeera in the Gaza Strip, which also includes the Associated Press, during an attack a year ago, and Palestinian and international journalists say they have been regularly targeted by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Many in Palestine and abroad have taken to social media to express their shock and grief.

This morning, the Israeli occupation forces assassinated the beloved journalist, Shireen Abu Aqleh, while covering its brutal practices in Jenin. “Shireen was the most prominent Palestinian journalist and close friend,” wrote Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom.

This morning, the Israeli occupation forces assassinated the beloved journalist, Shireen Abu Oqleh, during her brutal coverage in Jenin. Sherine was the most prominent Palestinian journalist and close friend. Now we will listen to the “concerns” of the UK government and the international community pic.twitter.com/M6lKTbceHJ

– Hossam Zomlot (@hzomlot) May 11 2022

Those who knew her described her as brave, kind and the voice of the Palestinians.

“Shireen was a brave, kind, and high-integrity journalist that I and millions of Palestinians grew up watching,” wrote Fadi Quran, an activist with the Avaaz electoral group.

“We are terrified to hear Israel have murdered Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh in Jenin! Shireen has boldly written about the Israeli aggression against Palestine for more than two decades,” wrote Howaida Araf, a Palestinian-American activist and lawyer.

“Disbelief,” Palestinian activist Salem Brahma wrote. We grew up writing reports on the second intifada. It was our voice. Rest in strength and peace. Another day, another tragedy.”

in disbelief. This morning, the Israeli apartheid forces killed Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh while she was covering the invasion of Jenin. We grew up covering the news of the second intifada. It was our voice. Rest in strength and peace. Another day, another tragedy. https://t.co/FkaNdCTFUU

– Salem Barahmeh (Barahmeh) May 11 2022

Giles Trendel, director of Al Jazeera, said the network was “shocked and saddened” by the death of Sherine Abu Okla.

“We have a history all over the world, but especially in this region, where we have witnessed tragedies,” he said, calling for a transparent investigation into the killing of Abu Akleh.

“As journalists, we carry on. Our job is to keep going. We will not be silenced despite attempts to silence us,” Trendel said. This is more important than ever.”