‘They were shooting directly at the journalists’: New evidence suggests Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in targeted attack by Israeli forces.
By Zeena Saifi, Eliza Mackintosh, Celine Alkhaldi, Kareem Khadder, Katie Polglase, and Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN
Several shots ring out in quick succession, cutting through a clear, blue spring morning in Jenin, in the West Bank. Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack.
The cameraman filming the scene scrambles backwards to take cover behind a low concrete wall. Then a man cries out in Arabic: “Injured! Shireen, Shireen, oh man, Shireen! Ambulance!”
When the camera operator pans around the corner, Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh can be seen lying motionless, face down on the ground as another Palestinian reporter, Shatha Hanaysha, crouches down beside her, using a tree trunk for cover. Hanaysha reaches out and tries to rouse her as gunshots continue. There’s no response. Both women are wearing helmets and blue protective vests marked “Press.”

In the moments that follow, a man in a white T-shirt makes several attempts to move Abu Akleh, but is forced back repeatedly by gunfire. Finally, after a few long minutes, he manages to drag her body from the street.
The shaky video, filmed by Al Jazeera cameraman Majdi Banura, captures the scene when Abu Akleh, a 51-year-old Palestinian-American was killed by a bullet to the head at around 6:30 a.m. on May 11. She had been standing with a group of journalists near the entrance of Jenin refugee camp, where they had come to cover an Israeli raid. While the footage does not show Abu Akleh being shot, eyewitnesses told CNN that they believe Israeli forces on the same street fired deliberately on the reporters in a targeted attack. All of the journalists were wearing protective blue vests that identified them as members of the news media.
Recent Posts
How LA Is Uniting To Provide Mutual Aid For Those Impacted By ICE Raids
August 24, 2025
Take Action Now Through fundraisers, grocery deliveries, ‘adopt a corner’ initiatives and ICE watch, Angelenos are coming together to support their…
Democrat Warns U.S. Progressives Against Moving Toward The Center: ‘It Lost Me The Election’
August 23, 2025
Take Action Now India Walton, who defeated incumbent mayor only to lose general election, says ‘moderating is what got us here’By Joseph Gedeon,…
How Moderate Senate Democrats Enabled Trump’s D.C. Takeover
August 22, 2025
Take Action Now Many have warned that allowing D.C. to remain a disenfranchised colony would lead to disaster. They were right.By Ryan Cooper, The…
Don’t Let ICE’s Legal Abuses Stop You From Asserting Your Rights, Advocates Say
August 22, 2025
Take Action Now “We need to use every tool at our disposal to protect and empower our communities,” one immigrant justice advocate said.By…