The Israeli army continued to refrain from conducting a criminal investigation into the assassination of fellow Al-Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Aqleh, while the Palestinian Public Prosecution determined the type of the assassination bullet and who used it exclusively.

And the Associated Press quoted a military source, as saying that the Israeli army identified the gun that was likely to have fired the bullets that killed her.

But he added that the army cannot be certain of the matter unless the Palestinians hand over the bullet that killed Shireen for examination.

The same source said that the source of the shooting is still not clear to the Israeli army, but "we have confined the army's weapon, which may have been used in the exchange of fire near Shirin."

For his part, the Israeli army spokesman, Avichai Adraee, said that there is no way at the present time to open an investigation into the circumstances of the killing of Al-Jazeera correspondent Shirin Abu Akleh.

Adraee added that a final decision will be taken after the operational investigation is completed and all relevant information is considered.

In response to a question by Al-Jazeera correspondent in Jerusalem, Adraee confirmed that the decision not to open the investigation was taken in accordance with the investigation policy that was approved by a decision of the Israeli Supreme Court, which states that a criminal investigation should not be opened immediately into the Israeli army's operations in the West Bank.

Israeli fears

In the same context, Amos Harel, a military analyst, told Haaretz newspaper that the Israeli army does not intend to open an investigation into the circumstances of the killing of Shirin Abu Akleh, claiming that there are no criminal suspicions, and to avoid disputes in the Israeli military and society.

In a report published by the newspaper, Harel indicated that at the end of the second Palestinian intifada, the Israeli Public Prosecution issued instructions regarding the necessity of opening an investigation into the circumstances of the killing of Palestinian civilians by Israeli fire if they were not armed, but the current attorney general apparently refrains from doing so to avoid any criticism from The right-wing side or stirring up disagreements within the army, according to the report.


Killed by a gunshot

On the other hand, Al-Jazeera correspondent said that the investigation of the Public Prosecution and the Palestinian Judicial Medicine Institute revealed that the martyr colleague Shireen Abu Aqleh was killed by a live bullet that hit her behind the left ear, and that the type of bullet that killed her is used by the Israeli occupation forces only.

According to information obtained by Al Jazeera, the bullet penetrated the head of colleague Shireen Abu Aqleh, which indicates that it was targeted by an experienced sniper's fire.

The investigation added that it is not excluded that she was targeted personally, because she is a prominent and active journalist in the Al-Jazeera network.

The investigation also indicates that the traces of bullets on the carob tree on which Shireen fell, indicate that the shooter was a premeditated murder.

Palestinian condemnation

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli army's refusal to conduct an investigation into the assassination of colleague Shirin, and accused the Israeli army of ignoring dozens of live testimonies, evidence, autopsy results, and other evidence condemning it.

The ministry held the Israeli government fully and directly responsible for the assassination of Shireen Abu Aqleh, and warned against the consequences of Israeli attempts to close the file, and saw it as a new crime committed against Shireen.

Palestinian Justice Minister Muhammad Shalaldeh said in statements to Al-Jazeera that the Israeli occupation forces deliberately assassinated the journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh.

He added that the findings of the preliminary investigations of the Public Prosecution confirm the availability of all elements of the crime in her assassination, calling for the need to move to hold those who committed this crime accountable.

For its part, the Palestinian Public Prosecution confirmed that the type of assassination bullet is used exclusively by the occupation forces.


New video

New footage obtained by Al Jazeera from the Jenin camp showed an Israeli military patrol vehicle that was present in the same street where Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Aqleh was assassinated just a few minutes before she was shot.

In the clip filmed by a resident of Jenin refugee camp, an indication of the presence of a sniper at the site of the Israeli military vehicle is heard, as well as the sound of bullets.

Activists interacted with the video on social media platforms, and said that the scene refutes the previous allegations of the occupation regarding the assassination, and confirms that there were no clashes between Palestinians and the occupation soldiers prior to the assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh, as the occupation claimed.

Video clips have also shown confirming the testimony of our colleague Mujahid Al-Saadi, who was one of Sherine Abu Akleh's companions.

Al-Saadi had talked about the occupation forces deliberately targeting the journalists' team, which led to the assassination of our colleague Shireen Abu Akleh.

There were no signs of clashes in the recordings, and the journalists' team was proceeding as usual.


The American position

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the meeting between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Benny Gantz, touched upon the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

In response to a question by Al-Jazeera correspondent, Kirby added that Austin welcomed Israel's announcement of its intention to conduct the investigation, indicating that Washington wants this investigation to be comprehensive and transparent.

For his part, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, stressed that the international organization is still calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the killing of Al-Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh, after the Israeli military police announced that a criminal investigation had not been opened into her killing.

Dujarric explained that the UN Secretariat traditionally needs a mandate from a UN legislative body to take part in any investigation into the incident.

In turn, the former president of the International Federation of Journalists, Philip Lowroth, said that the Israeli forces assassinated Al-Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh because she was a journalist who witnessed events that she wanted to reveal to the world.

He added that Israel promotes itself as the only democracy in the Middle East, but the killing of journalists is the most serious violation of the principles of democracy.