Israeli police have fired tear gas and attempted to arrest mourners at the funeral in Jerusalem of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead whilst covering a raid.

Ms Abu Akleh, 51, was reporting on an Israeli raid in the city of Jenin on Wednesday when she was shot in the head whilst wearing a press vest.

Tear gas was fired outside the hospital where her body was being held in east Jerusalem, and a shrine destroyed.

An hour later, Israeli police arrested mourners chanting outside the Catholic church in Jerusalem’s old city.

Shortly before the funeral started, the IDF released preliminary findings from their investigation into the killing.

The report says it is still not possible to determine who fired the bullet that killed the journalist, but they concede it could have been an IDF soldier.

The findings will make little difference to the thousands gathered in Jerusalem to bury her – to Palestinians she was murdered and they have lost a voice that spent decades reporting on events in the West Bank

Shireen Abu Akleh: Thousands turn out for funeral of Al Jazeera journalist killed during Israeli military raid

Shireen Abu Akleh: How two videos represent two versions of a journalist’s death

Shireen Abu Akleh: Al Jazeera journalist shot and killed during Israeli raid in West Bank

The situation remains very tense.

On Thursday, thousands of people gathered for a memorial service while her body was carried through the streets – with the bulletproof vest on top of the coffin.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Reporters who were with Ms Abu Akleh, including one who was shot and wounded, said there were no clashes or militants in the immediate area when she was killed early on Wednesday.

All of them wore protective equipment that clearly identified them as reporters.

Israel has called for a joint investigation with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and for it to hand over the bullet for forensic analysis to determine who fired the fatal round.

The PA has refused, saying it will conduct its own investigation and send the results to the International Criminal Court, which is already investigating possible Israeli war crimes.

Ms Abu Akleh was a Palestinian-American reporter who covered the Middle East conflict for more than 25 years.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

She joined Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language service in 1997 and rose to prominence covering the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising against Israeli rule, in the early 2000s.

Read more:
How two videos represent two versions of a journalist’s death
Israeli PM Naftali Bennett reacts to Al Jazeera journalist’s killing

Recent days have seen an outpouring of grief from across the Palestinian territories and the wider Arab world.

Qatar-based Al Jazeera had earlier said that its managing director, Ahmad Alyafei, would travel to Jerusalem to attend the funeral.

Related posts:

Briton facing jail for sneaking out of Singapore quarantine hotel room to see fiancee First African woman to lead WTO after Biden lifts Trump block over job Experts puzzled by plummeting COVID-19 cases in India Top Gear star and racing driver Sabine Schmitz dies, aged 51 Last month was second hottest July ever in Europe Brazil v Argentina match suspended after health officials walk on to pitch in COVID row Taliban fire into air at anti-Pakistan protest as UN warns basic services on verge of collapse Russian bank run ‘has already started’ as rouble plunges to all-time low FIFA in advanced talks to suspend Russia from international competition Footage captures huge explosion after missile strikes government building in Kharkiv Last minute funding made available to save island from being cut off from Irish mainland, Sky News understands Russian troops have accidentally shot down own aircraft and refused to carry out orders, UK spy chief to reveal