Israeli police officers charged at Palestinian mourners carrying the coffin of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on Friday before thousands led her casket through Jerusalem's Old City in an outpouring of grief and anger over her killing.
Packed around Abu Akleh's coffin, dozens of Palestinians, some waving Palestinian flags and chanting "with our soul and blood we will redeem you Shireen," began walking toward the gates of St Joseph's Hospital.
Bella Hadid, Mark Ruffalo among others condemned Israel's atrocities. "This is the kind of torture and abuse Palestinians face at the hands of the Israeli military occupation," the supermodel shared on her Instagram account with a video of the aforementioned incident. "No matter who you are, how can you watch this and not scream in rage and cry painful tears? How can you not see your mother, father, grandfather, sister, or brother, in the eyes of our people?! Why can’t you see?"
She added, "Not only to watch a veteran like Shireen be disrespected and thrown around like this, on her way from the hospital to the church, for the last time to Rest in Peace. But also to watch our mourning elderly and people be slammed around, pushed down, scared for their lives."
Hadid went on to add, "What kind of a threat are people mourning a loved one? This is a funeral procession to lay a Palestinian veteran and legend to rest. Beyond anything, she is a human being. What do you have to hide that you continue to kill our journalists? That says enough about this military system, their government and the geopolitical game they pawn their people off to."
The Avengers star, too, took to social media and condemned Akleh's death. "Another significant loss for the Palestinian people and democracy. The list is long, brutal and cruel," Ruffalo penned.
Another significant loss for the Palestinian people and democracy. The list is long, brutal and cruel. https://t.co/Ighc7yIKCV
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) May 12, 2022
PR Mogul Frieha Altaf shared her two cents on the matter as well. "Outrageous! How can you beat mourners at a funeral of a journalist? Israeli forces first shot and killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqla and then beat up the mourners!"
Outrageous! How can you beat mourners at a funeral of a journalist? Israeli forces first shot & killed #AlJazeera journalists #ShireenAbuAqla & then beat up the mourners! #Israeli
— Frieha Altaf (@FriehaAltaf) May 14, 2022
Abu Akleh, who had covered Palestinian affairs and the Middle East for more than two decades, was shot while reporting on an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.
Palestinian authorities have described Abu Akleh's killing as an assassination by Israeli forces. Israel's government initially suggested Palestinian fire might have been to blame, but officials have also said they could not rule out it was Israeli gunfire that killed her.
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