Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was likely killed by unintentional gunfire from Israeli positions, but independent investigators could not reach a definitive conclusion about the origin of the bullet that struck her, the U.S. State Department said on Monday.
Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American, was killed on May 11 during an Israeli raid on the West Bank.
The U.S. Security Coordinator (USSC), after summarizing investigations by both the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinian Authority, concluded that gunfire from Israeli positions was likely responsible for Abu Akleh's death, the State Department said.
"The USSC found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad," the State Department said in a statement.
In a forensic analysis by third-party examiners overseen by the USSC, however, ballistic experts determined the bullet was severely damaged, preventing a clear conclusion as to its origin, the State Department said.
In response to the report, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that the Palestinian gunmen who opened fire at Israeli forces during the raid in which Abu Akleh was killed were to blame for her death.
"I ask again to express sorrow for Abu Akleh's death. Despite the laboratory examination of the bullet and the relevant weapons, it can't be determined which bullet and weapon killed her, so, the investigation will continue," he said.
"In the incident in question, hundreds of bullets were fired at IDF soldiers who returned fire only to the sources of the shooting. Those responsible for the incident are, first and foremost, the terrorists who fired near civilian population. Israel does everything in its power to avoid harming the innocent, and maintaining the freedom of the press."
IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi said the Israeli military will continue to investigate Abu Akleh's death "using all the tools at our disposal, and with a commitment to transparency and revealing the truth."
"The IDF will continue to act to thwart terrorism wherever necessary," he said. "The IDF regrets any harm to those uninvolved and takes great care to safeguard the value of human life and freedom of the press."
Palestinians have said the Israeli military deliberately killed Abu Akleh. Israel has denied this, saying she may have been hit by errant army fire or by a bullet from one of the Palestinian gunmen who were clashing with its forces at the scene.
The death of Abu Akleh, and feuding between the sides over the circumstances, have overshadowed a visit by U.S. President Joe Biden due this month.