Shireen Abu Akleh
شيرين أبو عاقلة
Veteran Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent; Palestinian-American · 1971–2022 · Jenin refugee camp, occupied West Bank
Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, was shot in the head while covering an Israeli raid in Jenin, wearing a helmet and a vest marked 'PRESS'; investigations by CNN, the AP, The Washington Post and a UN commission concluded Israeli forces fired the fatal shot — CNN found evidence of a targeted attack — while Israel acknowledged a 'high possibility' its fire killed her but said it was accidental.
Shireen Abu Akleh, born in Jerusalem in 1971 to a Christian Palestinian family and holding both Palestinian and American citizenship, joined Al Jazeera in 1997, a year after its launch, and became one of the Arab world’s best-known correspondents — the “voice of Palestine” to a generation of viewers who grew up with her coverage of the second intifada, the Gaza wars and daily life under occupation. She is also profiled in this site’s Figures collection.
At about 6:30 a.m. on May 11, 2022, Abu Akleh, 51, stood with a group of journalists near the entrance of the Jenin refugee camp, all wearing helmets and blue vests marked “PRESS,” as they prepared to cover an Israeli army raid. Eyewitnesses told CNN there was no active combat and no armed Palestinians near the journalists when shots were fired in their direction; a bullet struck Abu Akleh in the head, in the gap between her helmet and vest. Her producer, Ali al-Samoudi, was shot in the back and survived. Colleague Shatha Hanaysha, pinned down by continued fire as she tried to reach her, said: “I didn’t think they were trying to kill us.”
Investigations by CNN, The Associated Press, The Washington Post and Bellingcat corroborated witness accounts that Israeli military fire killed her; CNN’s analysis — including eight eyewitnesses, video, audio forensics and a weapons expert — concluded she was shot in a targeted attack, and a UN commission of inquiry later found Israeli forces used lethal force without justification, violating her right to life. The Israeli military said in September 2022 there was a “high possibility” she was accidentally hit by its gunfire; the U.S. State Department said fire from Israeli positions was “likely responsible” but found “no reason to believe that this was intentional.” At her Jerusalem funeral, Israeli police attacked mourners carrying her coffin. Her family says it “will not stop” pursuing justice for her through all available avenues.
Sources
Open questions
The FBI opened an investigation in November 2022 that CPJ says has shown no demonstrable progress; her case has been submitted to the International Criminal Court by the Palestinian Authority, her family and Al Jazeera. No one has been held accountable.