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October 28, 2025 – Palestine –
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has renewed its call for a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation by the U.S. into the killing of veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American reporter for Al Jazeera, who was shot dead while covering a military operation on May 11, 2022, in the occupied West Bank.
The call comes after a former U.S. military official alleging that a U.S.-led inquiry was softened to favor Israeli military narratives. That official, Steve Gabavics, claimed he and others concluded the killing was intentional, but that the public statement by the U.S. State Department described her death as the “result of tragic circumstances” and asserted there was “no reason to believe” it was deliberate.
CPJ notes that despite multiple investigations by journalists, rights groups, and the United Nations pointing to Israeli fire, no credible accountability process has yet been completed. The U.S. FBI launched an investigation in November 2022, but its status remains publicly opaque.
In its statement, CPJ emphasized that the U.S. government “owes the public — and Shireen Abu Akleh’s family — more than words of regret.” The organization insisted that only a truly independent investigation, free from undue influence or political constraints, can deliver justice and serve as a deterrent against future attacks on journalists.
Her death has become emblematic of the risks faced by journalists in conflict zones and the broader issue of impunity for attacks on media professionals. CPJ argues that the failure to secure accountability undermines press freedom and leaves a message that those who kill journalists may do so with little consequence.
The renewed demand by CPJ underscores the urgency of the case: for the sake of transparency, credibility, and the protection of journalists globally, they say the U.S. must open and publicly report on an investigation that meets international standards and deliver concrete outcomes.
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