By Hadas Gold, Abeer Salman and Amir Tal, CNN
Jerusalem (CNN)Palestinian -American Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was fatally shot while covering an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin on Wednesday.
The Palestinian health ministry said she was shot in the head by a live bullet, and confirmed her death shortly afterwards. Akleh’s producer, Ali Al-Samudi, was also shot and is in a stable condition, the ministry said.
The circumstances surrounding her death are unclear.
Al Jazeera has accused Israeli security forces of deliberately targeting and killing Abu Akleh and called on the international community to condemn and hold Israel accountable.
Al-Samudi said later Wednesday that there were no Palestinian gunmen in the area at the time. “The Israeli army shot us,” said Al-Samudi. “There was no Palestinian gunman in the place.”
The Israel Defense Forces said its security forces had been operating in the area “to arrest suspects in terrorist activities,” and both Palestinian suspects and Israeli forces were firing at the time.
“As part of the activity in the Jenin refugee camp, suspects fired heavily at the force and threw explosives. The force responded by firing. Hits were detected,” the IDF said. “The possibility that journalists were hit, possibly by Palestinian gunfire, is being investigated. The event is being examined.”
Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed in the West Bank Wednesday, the network said. Bureau chief Waleed Al Omari wept on air as he announced the news.
Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed in the West Bank Wednesday, the network said. Bureau chief Waleed Al Omari wept on air as he announced the news.
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