Israel: There is a "high probability" that one of its members may have accidentally shot and killed an Al Jazeera journalist in May, according to the Israeli military. However, no one will be held responsible for this incident.
While reporting on Israeli military raids in the occupied West Bank, Shirin Abu Akle was fatally shot.
The Palestinians accused Israel of carrying out the assassination, when the latter first suggested that he may have been killed by terrorist fire, but later suggested that a soldier may have accidentally killed him during a gunfight.
Journalist Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American, was well known throughout the Arab world and had covered the West Bank for the satellite channel for 20 years.
Announcing the findings of the investigation into his death, a senior Israeli military official said the military was unable to definitively pinpoint the source of the fire and speculated that Palestinian gunmen may be present near the Israeli soldier.
But he insisted there was a "high probability" that the soldier may have accidentally shot the journalist. Officials failed to provide an explanation as to why witnesses' accounts and videos showed little terrorist activity in the area and no shelling until the barrage that killed Abu Aqleh and injured a different reporter.
According to the rules of the military briefing, the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed he had misidentified him. Their real-time report "undoubtedly points to a mistaken identity."
The investigation was criticized by the family of Abu Akle, who claimed that the military "tried to hide the truth and avoid responsibility" for the murder.
In a statement, he said: "Our family is not surprised by this result as it is clear to all that Israeli war criminals are unable to see past their own crimes. However, we feel incredibly hurt, angry and disappointed." continue.
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