“He misidentified her," an anonymous Israeli official said Monday (September 5), discussing the fatal shooting of visibly marked journalist Shireen Abu Akleh back in May.

In a briefing to reporters, a senior military official said a soldier opened fire after mistakenly identifying Shireen Abu Akleh as a militant. But he provided no evidence to back up the Israeli claim that Palestinian gunmen were present in the area and said no one would be punished. He also did not address video evidence showing the area to be quiet before Abu Akleh was shot.


Distressing footage filmed on May 11 in the West Bank shows the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

In the video, which was captured by another journalist at the scene in Jenin, gunshots ring out all around and then moments later the body of Abu Akleh is seen lying facedown by the side of road.

Footage too graphic to publish shows a serious wound to her face.

The Qatar-based news channel said Abu Aqleh, 51, was shot "deliberately" and "in cold blood" by Israeli troops.

Another journalist from the Jerusalem-based Al-Quds newspaper was wounded but in a stable condition.

The Israeli military denied that its forces targeted journalists.

Distressing footage filmed today (May 11) in the West Bank shows the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

In the video, which was captured by another journalist at the scene in Jenin, gunshots ring out all around and then moments later the body of Abu Akleh is seen lying facedown by the side of road.

Footage too graphic to publish shows a serious wound to her face.

The Qatar-based news channel said Abu Aqleh, 51, was shot "deliberately" and "in cold blood" by Israeli troops.

Another journalist from the Jerusalem-based Al-Quds newspaper was wounded but in a stable condition.

The Israeli military denied that its forces targeted journalists.