WATCH: Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh shot dead by Israeli forces

Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday while covering raids in the occupied West Bank.

She was reportedly killed while covering Israeli military’s storming of the Jenin refugee camp.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said Abu Akleh was shot in the face and died soon afterwards.

The ministry added that another Palestinian journalist working for the Jerusalem-based Al-Quds newspaper was also wounded but in a stable condition.

Abu Akleh was a prominent figure in the channel’s Arabic news service. Al Jazeera correspondent in the West Bank, Nida Ibrahim, said:

“Shireen Abu Akleh was covering the events unfolding in Jenin, specifically an Israeli raid the city, which is north of the occupied West Bank, when she was hit by a bullet to the head”.

“As you can imagine, this is a shock to the journalists who have been working with her.”

In video footage of the incident, Abu Akleh can be seen wearing a blue flak jacket clearly marked with the word “PRESS.”

AFP reports the Israeli army confirmed it had conducted an operation early Wednesday in Jenin refugee camp, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups in the northern West Bank.

It firmly denied, however, that it had deliberately targeted journalists. 

“The (army) of course does not aim at journalists,” a military official told AFP.  

“There is an ongoing inquiry into this event. We offered and want to conduct a joint investigation with the Palestinians.”

The army said there was an exchange of fire between suspects and security forces and that it was “investigating the event and looking into the possibility that journalists were hit by the Palestinian gunmen.

Al Jazeera has called on the international community to hold Israeli forces accountable for their “intentional targeting and killing” of Abu Aqleh.

“In a blatant murder, violating international laws and norms, the Israeli occupation forces assassinated in cold blood Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Palestine,” it said.

Another Al Jazeera journalist, producer Ali Al-Samudi, was wounded during the clash, the broadcaster added.

This is a developing story

ALSO READ: Israel destroys home of Palestinian accused in settler killing