Palestinians give US the bullet that killed Al Jazeera journalist

OCCUPIED-AL-QUDS: The Palestinian Authority have given the bullet that killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to US forensic experts as it seeks to prove conclusively that it was fired by an Israel soldier.

The Palestinian Authority was assured that no modifications would be made to the bullet that killed Ms Abu Akleh during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al-Khatib said they were told that it would be returned as soon as the assessment was complete. The Palestinian Authority gave the green light to hand over the bullet to the US, but not to Israel, the Palestinians' official Wafa news agency reported.

The Palestinian-American journalist, who was wearing a vest marked "Press" and a helmet, was killed on 11 May while covering an Israeli army operation in Jenin camp in the northern West Bank. The official Palestinian investigation found that the Qatar-based television channel's star reporter was killed after being hit by a bullet just below her helmet.

It found that Abu Akleh was killed with a 5.56 mm armour-piercing round fired from a Ruger Mini-14 rifle. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had promised last month to pursue accountability over the killing wherever the facts might lead.

"We are looking for an independent, credible investigation. When that investigation happens, we will follow the facts, wherever they lead. It's as straightforward as that," said Blinken.