Journalists escort the body of veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead by Israeli troops as she covered a raid on the West Bank's Jenin refugee camp on May 11, 2022, at the hospital in Jenin. Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim said Abu Akleh was a "very well respected journalist" who has been working with Al Jazeera since the beginning of the second Palestinian Intifada in 2000. Photo: AFP

Calls mounted Wednesday for an independent investigation into the killing of veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead as she covered an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank.

The Qatar-based TV channel charged that Israeli forces deliberately and "in cold blood" shot Abu Akleh, 51, a Palestinian-American and a Christian, in the head during the unrest in the Jenin refugee camp.

Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who briefed reporters late Wednesday, appeared to distance himself from earlier remarks by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who had said it was "likely" that Abu Akleh was killed by stray Palestinian gunfire.

"Our initial findings from the investigation cannot indicate what gunfire was directed at Shireen and cannot exclude any option under this operational chaos," Gantz said. 

"We are not certain how she was killed," added Gantz, who called Abu Akleh's death "a serious loss."

Another Al Jazeera journalist, producer Ali al-Samudi, was wounded in the incident in which both wore helmets and vests marked "Press."

Samudi said no Palestinian fighters were nearby, stressing that otherwise "we would not have gone into the area."

The European Union urged an "independent" investigation while the US' envoy to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, demanded the killing be "transparently investigated," calls also made by UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet.

Israel has offered to participate in a joint investigation with the Palestinian Authority, and Gantz urged the PA to provide the army with the bullet that killed Abu Akleh.

Gantz told reporters Israel was seeking the findings of the Palestinian autopsy, conducted in Nablus earlier Wednesday.  

There was no indication on whether Palestinian officials were prepared to cooperate with Israel in an investigation.

Rayyan Ali, a forensic pathologist at Al Najah University in Nablus where the autopsy was conducted, told reporters "it is not possible to make any statement about who bears responsibility," because details of the weapon and ammunition used had not been fully examined by experts.

Abu Akleh, who joined Al Jazeera in 1997 and whose coverage of the conflict was revered across Palestinian society, is expected to receive a full state memorial at the Palestinian presidential compound in Ramallah on Thursday.

Her body was carried through the city on Wednesday evening, with thousands chanting "thank you, dear Shireen."

The Israeli army has stepped up operations in Jenin, a historic flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in recent weeks. 

Several of the suspects blamed for deadly attacks on Israelis were from the area.

AFP