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Washington — Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is likely killed by an unintended shooting from an Israeli standpoint, but independent investigators could not reach a definitive conclusion about the origin of the bullet that hit her, Said the US State Department on Monday.
Palestinian-American Abu Acre was killed on May 11 during an Israeli assault on the occupied West Bank.
The U.S. Security Coordinator (USSC) summarized the investigation by both the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and Palestinian authorities, and then shooting from Israel's standpoint could be the cause of Abu Acre's death. The State Department said it concluded that it was high.
"USSC has no reason to believe this is intentional, but rather the result of a tragic situation during an IDF-led military operation against the Islamic Jihad faction in Palestine. I found a reason to believe that, "said the State Department. In the statement.
However, in a forensic analysis by a third-party examiner supervised by the USSC, ballistic experts could determine that the bullet was severely damaged and draw clear conclusions about its origin. It wasn't, the State Department said.
Palestinians state that Israeli forces have deliberately killed Abu Acre. Israel denied this, saying she could have been hit by a false army fire or a bullet from one of the Palestinian militants who had collided with the army at the scene.
The death of Abu Acre and the dispute between the two camps overshadowed this month's visit to US President Joe Byden.
(Report by Chris Gallagher, edited by Chizu Nomiyama and Lisa Shumaker)
