US Investigator Says ’Israeli’ Soldier “Deliberately” Killed Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

By Staff, Agencies

A retired US Army colonel who participated in the probe into the 2022 killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh says he is convinced an "Israeli" soldier intentionally shot her.

Colonel Steve Gabavics, a 30-year military police veteran and former Guantanamo Bay commander, told The New York Times that radio communications, troop positions, and the precision of the shots prove the veteran Al Jazeera reporter was deliberately targeted.

Abu Akleh, 51, was fatally shot on May 11, 2022, while covering clashes in the Jenin refugee camp. She wore a helmet and a vest clearly marked “Press.” Another journalist, Ali Samoudi, was also wounded.

"Israel" initially blamed Palestinian gunmen before later admitting an "Israeli" soldier likely fired the fatal round but claimed it was a case of “misidentification.”

Gabavics accused the Biden administration of downplaying the probe’s findings to avoid a diplomatic dispute with "Israel." “We were just flabbergasted that this is what they put out,” he said, referring to the US conclusion that the shooting was unintentional.

While Gabavics insists the attack was deliberate, his former superior, Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel, maintained that evidence was insufficient to prove intent.

A 2024 documentary by Zeteo News later identified the suspected shooter as Captain Alon Scagio, a sniper in "Israel’s" Duvdevan unit, who was killed in Jenin the following year.

Abu Akleh’s killing sparked global outrage and renewed calls for accountability.