The United States called on Israel Monday night to hold itself accountable for the shooting the day before that killed a 16-year-old Palestinian girl during armed clashes between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli forces in Jenin.
The IDF said that an initial review of the incident found a "high probability" that Jana Zakarneh was killed by the accidental fire of IDF soldiers directed at Palestinian gunmen during the battle.
Further, the review found that the 16-year-old was likely on a roof nearby other rooves where gunmen were specifically firing on IDF soldiers who were doing their best to return fire in the midst of the "fog of battle."
Nevertheless, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said Monday that the US "hopes to see accountability in this case."
“We do express our profound condolences to the family of Jana Zakarna, the young teenage girl who was killed,” Price responded. “It’s a heartbreaking incident any time you hear of a civilian being killed in these types of [military] operations.
The IDF said that it "expresses sorrow at the death of any civilians, even those who are positioned in the middle of battle and rounds of firing from both sides."
Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed condolences for the killing of Zakarna. The prime minister reaffirmed that the IDF investigation is at a preliminary stage, adding that he trusts IDF soldiers and security establishment officials to continue doing everything possible to avoid causing harm to uninvolved civilians.