A Palestinian-American journalist has been shot dead while reporting for Al Jazeera on a raid by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.
The Qatar-based network said Sherine Abu Aqla, 51, was shot “deliberately” and “in cold blood” by Israeli troops. Her producer was also shot and wounded.
Israel’s prime minister said it was “likely” they were shot by Palestinian gunmen during an exchange of fire.
It comes amid a surge in violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Palestinian president said he held the Israeli government fully responsible for what he described as a “crime of execution”.
The Israeli military said its soldiers and security forces conducted a raid on the Jenin refugee camp early on Wednesday to apprehend “terrorist suspects”.
“During the activity, tens of Palestinian gunmen fired at and hurled explosive devices toward the soldiers. The soldiers responded with fire toward the gunmen and hits were identified.”
The Palestinian health ministry said Sherine Abu Aqla was hit in the head by a live bullet as she covered the raid. She was taken to hospital in a critical condition and later pronounced dead.
Another Palestinian journalist, Al Jazeera producer Ali Samoudi, was shot in the back and was in a stable condition in hospital, the health ministry added.
“We were going to film the Israeli army operation and suddenly they shot us without asking us to leave or stop filming,” Al Jazeera cited Mr Samoudi as saying. “The first bullet hit me and the second bullet hit Sherine.
“There was no Palestinian military resistance at all at the scene,” he added.
