TEL AVIV — The Palestinian Authority says it has given U.S. officials the bullet that killed prominent Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and Israeli officials had no immediate comment.
Despite several outside investigations suggesting the Israeli army killed her, Israel has said it can't determine the facts until Palestinians submit the bullet for a joint forensic investigation, and the U.S. has been calling on Palestinians and Israelis to share evidence.
After refusing to hand over the bullet to Israel, the Palestinian Public Prosecutor says his office has given the bullet to U.S. officials but refuses to give it to Israeli officials.
A Palestinian official speaking on condition of anonymity told NPR the sharing of the bullet was agreed upon in a phone call Thursday between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Abu Akleh's family tells NPR they are concerned and alarmed by the news of the bullet being shared with U.S. officials.
They had been calling for a U.S.-led investigation, but now they say no officials have updated them about who will be examining the bullet, and they have doubts the process will lead to accountability.
