Blinken tells slain journalist's family U.S. is committed to accountability for her death

July 27 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with the family of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot to death while covering an Israeli military operation in the West Bank.

Blinken tweeted, "I met with the family of slain Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, whose fearless journalism earned her the respect of audiences around the world."

Blinken said in the tweet, "I expressed my deepest condolences and commitment to pursue accountability for her tragic killing."

The State Department said earlier this month that Israeli forces are "likely responsible" for the journalist's death.

Lina Abu Akleh tweeted after the meeting, "Sec. Blinken told us that he has a duty to protect every U.S. citizen. We will hold him to this. Nothing short of a U.S. investigation that leads to real accountability is acceptable, and we won't stop until no other American or Palestinian family endures the same pain we have."

She said the family wants a meeting with President Joe Biden, tweeting, "A meeting with him will demonstrate to our family that Shireen's case is a priority for this administration. Since he didn't meet with us in Jerusalem, we came to D.C. We need him to hear from us directly."

State Department spokesman Ned Price said at a press briefing that the department is focusing on bridging the Israeli and Palestinian investigations and "doing all we can to see to it that the investigations that are being carried out are thorough, they're done exhaustively, they're done transparently, and again, that they end in accountability."

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by shots fired by Israeli Security Forces and not by indiscriminate fire from armed Palestinians.