A senior IDF official who briefed reporters on the findings of the military investigation before they were released said IDF troops were unaware they were firing on the press and said Abu Akleh’s back was “probably” to the soldiers. contributing factor. In images from the scene of the shooting, Abu Akleh is wearing a protective vest with the words “PRESS” on both the front and back.
“When they fired in that direction, the soldiers did not know they were firing at journalists. They thought they were firing at militants who were firing at them,” the IDF official said.
When asked about investigations, including by CNN, that found no militants near Abu Akleh when she was killed, the official said: “Our assessment is that there were militants in the area of Mrs. Abu Abkleh. Maybe not a meter next to her, but they were in that area,” but the official did not provide evidence to support that claim.
“When the soldier made that decision, it was a flash of decision,” the official said. “The soldier did not intend to injure an Al Jazeera journalist or [journalist] from any other network.”
“The soldier is sorry, and I’m sorry. This shouldn’t have happened and it shouldn’t have happened. He didn’t do it on purpose,” the official said. He did not name the soldier.
When she was killed, Abu Akleh was accompanied by a group of other journalists, including her producer Ali al-Samoudi, who was injured in the incident.
According to the Palestinian autopsy, Abu Akleh was killed by a single bullet to the back of the head.
