Shireen Abu Akleh posthumously wins award for courage as journalist

Veteran Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh has posthumously won an award for her courage as a journalist.

The highly regarded journalist was killed at the age of 51 by Israeli forces as she covered a military raid on the occupied West Bank's Jenin refugee camp in May 2022.

On Monday, the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) named the Palestinian American as one of its Courage in Journalism Award winners for 2023.

"Meet the world's most courageous women journalists," the organisation tweeted on Monday, attaching a graphic featuring this year's winners.

"We're honoured to announce our 2023 #IWMFCourage Awardees, whose reporting has brought truth to light amid war, censorship and authoritarian rule."

Meet the world's most courageous women journalists.

We're honored to announce our 2023 #IWMFCourage Awardees, whose reporting has brought truth to light amid war, censorship and authoritarian rule. 🧵https://t.co/nEhI1RAxhX pic.twitter.com/OxA3wtRm9Y

— International Women's Media Foundation (@IWMF) July 17, 2023

The IWMF called Abu Akleh a "groundbreaking conflict reporter" and said it was "proud to recognise her intrepid reporting through this posthumous #IWMFCourage award".

On its website, the foundation mentioned that she was killed by an Israeli soldier.

An awards reception will take place in Washington, DC on 23 October, with an event taking place in Los Angeles two days later and another in New York City on 30 October.

It’s been over a year and Shireen continues to be honored and remembered. Legends never die.

Thank you @IWMF for this award. #ShireenAbuAkleh was the epitome of courage and bravery. We wish she was here… https://t.co/svRwGjOG9U

— Lina Abu Akleh (@LinaAbuAkleh) July 17, 2023

"It's been over a year and Shireen continues to be honoured and remembered. Legends never die," Abu Akleh's niece Lina Abu Akleh tweeted.

She thanked the IWMF for the award and called her aunt the "epitome of courage and bravery". Lina added: "We wish she was here…"

Journalist Dalia Hatuqa also welcomed the IWMF's decision.

"[Shireen] should have been awarded this in life because she was courageous, strong, smart and determined," Hatuqa tweeted.

"Thank you @IWMF for this honour and for acknowledging Shireen's importance to all of us who loved, admired and looked up to her."