Journalist shot dead during Israeli raid in Jenin

Veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, a Palestinian-American who was among the network's most prominent figures, was shot dead Wednesday as she covered an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank. Israel and Palestinians trading accusations of responsibility. The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry and Palestinian witnesses, including other journalists, charged that Israeli troops raiding the city fired the gunshots that killed Abu Aqleh. Another Al Jazeera journalist, producer Ali al-Samudi, was wounded in the incident, the broadcaster added.

The Israeli government, however, said that armed Palestinians likely mistakenly shot and killed her. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told the Knesset that initial findings showed no IDF fire directed at Aqleh, whereas “we have seen footage of indiscriminate shooting by Palestinian terrorists, which is likely to have hit the journalist.” The Qatar-based TV channel said Israeli forces shot Abu Aqleh, 51, deliberately and "in cold blood" while she was covering unrest in the Jenin refugee camp. 

The Israeli army confirmed it had conducted an operation in the camp early Wednesday but firmly denied it had deliberately targeted a reporter. The army said there was an exchange of fire between suspects and security forces and that it was "investigating the event and looking into the possibility that journalists were hit by the Palestinian gunmen". "The (army) of course does not aim at journalists," a military official told AFP. A statement from Al Jazeera said: "The Israeli occupation forces assassinated in cold blood Al Jazeera's correspondent in Palestine." It called on the international community to hold the Israeli forces accountable for their "intentional targeting and killing" of the journalist.