Shireen Abu Akleh
Female
Verified Shireen Abu Akleh was a Palestinian-American journalist for Al Jazeera. She was fatally shot on May 11, 2022, while covering an Israeli military raid in Jenin, West Bank.
Their Story
Shireen Abu Akleh was born in Jerusalem in 1971. She earned a degree in journalism and media from Yarmouk University in Jordan and began working for Al Jazeera's Arabic channel in 1997. Over a 25-year career, she became a widely recognized correspondent, reporting on Palestinian life and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for audiences across the Arab world.
On the morning of May 11, 2022, Abu Akleh and other journalists arrived in the Jenin refugee camp to cover an Israeli military operation. According to multiple witness accounts and investigations, she was wearing a blue vest marked 'PRESS'. She was shot in the head near the entrance to the camp. Al Jazeera stated she was killed by Israeli forces. The Israeli military initially suggested she might have been hit by Palestinian gunfire but later stated a soldier's bullet may have struck her, calling it an accident.
The incident occurred amid a period of heightened violence in the West Bank. Israeli forces conducted frequent raids in cities like Jenin and Nablus following a series of Palestinian attacks in Israel earlier in 2022. These raids often led to clashes with Palestinian militants.
Abu Akleh's death prompted international outcry. The United Nations and multiple human rights groups called for an independent investigation. Her funeral in Jerusalem was attended by thousands; pallbearers were jostled by Israeli police. In July 2022, the U.S. State Department concluded an Israeli soldier likely fired the fatal shot but found no evidence the shooting was intentional.
Abu Akleh is remembered as a pioneering figure in Arab media. Her reporting provided a steady chronicle of the conflict for a generation. Her death underscored the dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones and became a focal point for discussions on press freedom and accountability.
Explore Further
Shireen Abu Akleh was killed during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (concluded November -0001). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: James Miller, Fadel Shana, Ahmad Abu Hussein, Ghufran Warasna.
