Al Jazeera submits journalist Abu Akleh's killing case to ICC
New witness evidence and video footage clearly show that Shireen and her colleagues were directly fired at by the Israeli forces, Al Jazeera's submission highlighted.
One of the most recognisable faces reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for two decades, Abu Akleh's death triggered outrage across the world.
TV network Al Jazeera has submitted the case of slain journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to the International Criminal Court, saying she was killed by Israeli forces.
The Qatar-based channel said on Tuesday that it had "unearthed new evidence" on the death of the Palestinian-American, shot while covering an Israel army raid in Jenin on May 11.
Al Jazeera said its submission highlighted "new witness evidence and video footage clearly show that Shireen and her colleagues were directly fired at by the Israeli Occupation Forces."
"The claim by the Israeli authorities that Shireen was killed by mistake in an exchange of fire is completely unfounded," the channel said.
READ MORE: Family hails US decision to probe journalist Abu Akleh's death
'No one will interrogate IDF soldiers'
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Tuesday that no one would question Israeli soldiers.
"No one will interrogate IDF soldiers and no one will preach to us about morals of combat, certainly not the Al Jazeera network," Lapid said.
Any person or group can file a complaint to the ICC prosecutor for investigation, but the Hague-based court is under no obligation to take on such cases.
The ICC last year launched a probe into war crimes in the Palestinian territories, but Israel is not an ICC member and disputes the court's jurisdiction.
The Israeli army conceded on September 5 that one of its soldiers had likely shot Abu Akleh after mistaking her for a member of an armed group.
The veteran reporter was wearing a bulletproof vest marked "Press" and a helmet when she was shot in the head in the Jenin refugee camp, a historic flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
After receiving complaints from individuals or groups, the ICC prosecutor decides independently what cases to submit to judges at the court.
Judges decide whether to allow a preliminary investigation by the prosecutor, which can then be followed by a formal investigation, and if warranted, charges.
In the majority of cases such complaints do not lead to investigations, according to the ICC.
READ MORE: Israel claims Al Jazeera reporter likely killed mistakenly by soldier
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