A veteran Al Jazeera reporter, Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while covering an Israeli raid in the West Bank.
Abu Akleh, one of the most renowned journalists in the Arab world, was 51 years old. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed she was shot and died shortly afterwards in hospital.
She was wearing a press vest and helmet, and was standing next to other journalists when she was shot in the head. Another journalist was also wounded and is in a stable condition.
Abu Akleh, both a Palestinian and American citizen, joined the Al Jazeera network in 1997, and was highly regarded as a reporter in the Arab world.
Al Jazeera have reported that calls for an independent investigation into the killing of Abu Akleh are mounting internationally. US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said she strongly condemns the death of Abu Akleh.
“We must ensure journalists performing critical work amidst conflict are protected, and we call for an immediate and thorough investigation into this tragedy,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
Abu Akleh’s colleagues have claimed she was shot by Israeli fire during a raid. Israel has contested the claim.
The UN Human Rights office has called for an “independent, transparent investigation into her killing”. Noting, “impunity must end”.
The United States has also called for an investigation. “We will continue to promote media freedom and protect journalists’ ability to do their jobs without fear of violence, threats to their lives for safety or unjust detention,” deputy White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.