Today, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) concluded its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, and stated that there is a high possibility that Mrs. We welcome Israel’s review of this tragic incident, and again stress the importance of accountability in this case, as well as policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The United States has made it a priority to mitigate and respond to civilian harm caused by military operations. The Department of Defense recently emphasized the need to improve its assessments and practices to ensure mitigation of civilian harm and we will continue to share best practices with our military partners and allies around the world.
Our thoughts remain with the Abu Akleh family as they suffer this tremendous loss – and with the many others around the world who have carried Shireen and her news reports into their homes for more than two decades. Not only was Shireen an American citizen, she was a fearless reporter whose journalism and pursuit of the truth earned her the respect of audiences around the world.
