The body of Shireen Abu Akleh, shot dead by an Israeli sharpshooter.
Ramallah, July 18 (RHC)-- Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian journalist, who was murdered in cold blood by Israeli forces' live armor-piercing bullet last year, has posthumously received an award for her courage as a journalist.
On Monday, the Washington-based International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) named Abu Akleh as one of the recipients of its Courage in Journalism Awards for 2023. "Meet the world's most courageous women journalists," the organization tweeted, attaching a graphic featuring this year's winners.
The IWMF called Abu Akleh a "groundbreaking conflict reporter," adding that it was "proud to recognize her intrepid reporting through this posthumous #IWMFCourage award."
An awards reception ceremony will take place in Washington DC on October 23rd, with an event taking place in Los Angeles two days later and another in New York City on October 30th.
"It's been over a year and Shireen continues to be honored and remembered. Legends never die," Abu Akleh's niece Lina Abu Akleh tweeted.
Wearing press attire, the 51-year-old Al Jazeera journalist was murdered by a bullet to the head while covering an Israeli military raid on the refugee camp located inside the city of Jenin in the northern part of the occupied West Bank on May 11, 2022. Later, her funeral was also attacked by the regime's forces.
On May 26, 2022, Palestinian Attorney General Akram al-Khatib confirmed the results of a preliminary investigation, insisting that Abu Akleh had been struck with an armor-piercing bullet fired from a semi-automatic Ruger Mini-14 rifle while she was wearing a helmet and a vest clearly marked with the word "PRESS."
Defying the international uproar caused by her death, Israel brushed aside all the evidence pointing to the fact that Abu Akleh was intentionally murdered, alleging that the veteran journalist had been "accidentally" killed by the regime forces’ gunfire.
Abu Akleh’s tragic death sent shock waves across the region and drew global condemnation. The United Nations and the European Union, among others, called for a full investigation into her case. According to the IWMF's official website, Abu Akleh’s family reacted to her posthumous winning of the award by saying she had been recognized for her "career, legacy, and bravery."
"We hope the Courage Award will bring us closer to achieving accountability and justice. While our family continues to grieve this insurmountable loss, these honors bring us comfort and solace. Thank you, IWMF," the family added.
Abu Akleh was born in the occupied al-Quds in 1971 and had a degree in journalism from Yarmouk University in Jordan. After graduation, she returned to Palestine to work in her field and joined Al Jazeera in 1977.
