Israel military and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have issued an apology for the first time regarding the untimely death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

The apology comes one year after Akleh was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military operation in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, along with another journalist, Ali Al Samudi, who was also shot.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, IDF’s chief spokesman, expressed the apology during an interview with CNN, stating, “I think it’s an opportunity for me to say here that we are very sorry for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh.”

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This marks the IDF’s first acknowledgment and apology for the killing of the renowned journalist, having previously admitted last year that there was a “high possibility” she was shot by an Israeli soldier.

Hagari emphasized the importance of journalism and a free press in a democracy, stating that Israel values its democracy and wants journalists to feel safe, even when criticizing the country, particularly during wartime.

The apology follows the recent release of a report by The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) highlighting the lack of accountability by the Israeli military in the killings of at least 20 journalists over the past two decades.

The report noted that 18 of those killed were Palestinian, and no one has been held accountable for these deaths.

Last September, the IDF’s Military Advocate General’s Office admitted the “high possibility” of Abu Akleh being “accidentally” shot and killed by Israeli fire. However, they stated that they did not intend to pursue criminal charges against any of the soldiers involved.

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In response to the CPJ report, the IDF expressed regret for any harm to civilians during their operations and emphasized the importance of protecting the freedom of the press and the work of journalists.

They asserted that noncombatants are not intentionally targeted and that live fire is used as a last resort after exhausting all other options.