Palestinians are planning a memorial event for journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was slain in the West Bank while documenting an Israeli raid, but have rejected US-led proposals for a joint probe into her killing.

Palestinian-American Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, was shot in the head during clashes in the Jenin refugee camp, a crucial flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Late Wednesday, Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz stated that “the Palestinians shot her” or that “fire from our side” killed her, appearing to contradict Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s claim that she was “likely” killed by errant Palestinian gunfire.

“We don’t know how she was killed,” Gantz told reporters. “But we want to get to the bottom of this tragedy and expose the truth as much as we can.”

According to Al Jazeera, Palestinian officials and witnesses say Israeli forces assassinated Abu Akleh, who was targeted “deliberately” and “in cold blood.”

Israel has officially demanded a joint probe into the incident, as well as the handover of the bullet that killed Abu Akleh for forensic analysis.

“Out of transparency,” an Israeli security source told AFP, Israel was willing to examine the rocket in front of Palestinian and US authorities.

‘Extreme transparency’

The European Union has called for a “independent” investigation, while the US has requested that the killing be “transparently probed,” as UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has done.

Hours after her death, an initial autopsy and forensic examination were done in Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but no final conclusions have been released.

Hussein Al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian Authority official and close confidant of President Mahmud Abbas, has ruled out a joint investigation.

“Israel has asked for a joint investigation and for the bullet that killed journalist Shireen to be turned over. On Twitter, Al-Sheikh stated, “We declined, and we underlined that our probe would be completed independently.”

“We will inform her family, the United States, Qatar, and all official authorities and the public of the investigation’s findings in a transparent manner.” All clues, facts, and eyewitness point to #Israeli special forces assassinating her.”

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‘All Palestinians’ sister

Shireen Abu Akleh became well-known among Arabic viewers after joining Al Jazeera in 1997 and covering the second Palestinian Intifada, or revolt, from 2000 to 2005.

At the family home in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, her brother Antoun told AFP, “She was the sister of all Palestinians.”

“There can’t be silence about what happened… She will be remembered.”

On Thursday morning, she was scheduled to receive a full state memorial at the presidential compound in Ramallah, indicating her significance among Palestinians.

Her death came nearly a year after an Israeli air strike demolished the headquarters of Al Jazeera and the Associated Press in Gaza.

Tensions have increased anew in recent months as Israel has dealt with a surge of attacks that has claimed the lives of at least 18 people since March 22, including an Arab-Israeli police officer and two Ukrainians.

According to an AFP tally, 31 Palestinians and three Israeli Arabs perished during the same period, including attackers and those killed by Israeli security forces in West Bank operations.