Israeli soldier who killed Shireen Abu Akleh named, was later killed by Palestinian fighters

The identity of the Israeli soldier who shot and killed veteran Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in May 2022 has been revealed in a new documentary detailing and investigating the events of the day.

The documentary, titled ‘Who Killed Shireen?’ was released today by the Washington-based media organisation Zeteo, and identifies 20-year-old Alon Skaijo as the soldier behind the killing of Abu Akleh.

The soldier was on his first tour in the occupied West Bank amid Israeli incursions and killings in Jenin, which are still going on today.

He was killed by Palestinian fighters two years later in 2024 during an Israeli raid on Jenin, in what Al-Jazeera correspondent Bisan Abu Kwiek called an "ironic moment".

The documentary’s executive producer told reporters the purpose of the investigation was to uncover who was behind Shireen Abu Akleh's death, particularly as Israel initially denied the killing, blaming it instead on Palestinian fighters.

Israel later backtracked on their comments, stating their troops were indeed responsible calling it an "accident".

The army went on to publish a follow up statement, where they said they are "deeply sorry" but refused to launch criminal proceedings against the soldiers involved.

The US also abandoned requests for an Israeli criminal investigation shortly after Israel’s statement. Abu Akleh was a US citizen.

"We found some concerning evidence that both Israel and the Biden administration had covered up Shireen’s killing and allowed the soldier to get away without any accountability," Dion Nissenbaum, the executive producer, said.

The documentary further contains footage and testimonies from former American officials who claim the White House prioritised relations with Israel over seeking justice for the veteran journalist's death. One former official said the Biden administration had "failed" Abu Akleh.

The investigation has been welcomed by Abu Akleh’s family, with her brother stating it was "important" for the family and will likely shed more light that she was "systematically targeted," like other Palestinian journalists.

Israel has faced mounting criticism regarding its treatment and killing of journalists since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Israeli forces have killed almost 200 journalists in the first 18 months of Israel’s devastating war on the Palestinian enclave.