IDF: 'High possibility' journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by 'unintentional fire' from an Israeli soldier

(Image credit: Guy Smallman/Getty Images)

published 5 September 2022

The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that there is a "high possibility" that Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by "unintentional fire" from an Israeli soldier, Axios and Haaretz report. "It needs to be said that there were both IDF soldiers and Palestinians at the scene," a high-ranking Israeli army official told Haaretz. "The most likely scenario is that a soldier mistakenly fired the shots, while he himself was being fired at."

The IDF said they had identified the solider who likely killed the 51-year-old correspondent, who was wearing a bulletproof vest that said "PRESS" at the time of her death, and that "it was a mistake and he is sorry for it." An investigation into the incident will not be opened because "there is no suspicion that a criminal offense was committed," according to the Israeli Military Advocate General's Office.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.