Coffin carrying veteran journalist’s body shown falling as Israeli police beat mourners with batons

Mourners had marched from Jerusalem's Jaffa Gate to Mount Zion cemetery. They have been met with violence on the St. Joseph hospital complicated by Israeli police once they tried to carry Abu Akleh's coffin, which Al Jazeera footage confirmed being rocked and then falling out of the fingers of among the pallbearers, as Israeli police beat them with batons.

Crowds walked behind as Abu Akleh's rose-covered coffin was carried by pallbearers and lain down to rest next to her parents' grave. Church bells echoed by way of the cemetery.

The burial was taking place a day after a memorial procession that brought hundreds to the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Mourners flocked to the city's streets on Friday and huddled in front of St. Joseph hospital in East Jerusalem, where Abu Akleh's physique remained until the burial. Muslims performed Friday prayers and mourners chanted "walking, walking on foot," demanding that Abu Akleh's coffin be carried and transported on foot from the hospital to the Greek Catholic church, where a service shall be held, after which to the burial website. Israeli police were lined exterior the hospital, in accordance with CNN reporters. Police roadblocks were set up around the hospital.

Mourners carried Abu Akleh's coffin out of the hospital, but have been met with strong resistance from Israeli police who compelled them to transport the physique by automobile. A flash bomb and tear gasoline were fired, in response to CNN reporters.

Al Jazeera stay footage confirmed Israeli police beating mourners with batons as they struggled to hold Abu Akleh's coffin. The body was in turn introduced back inside the hospital and then transported by automotive, mentioned Al Jazeera.

Footage on social media and Al Jazeera showed Abu Akleh's coffin being rocked backwards and forwards and then falling as Israeli police beat pallbearers with batons. It was not instantly clear if the coffin hit the bottom.

Israeli police in a press release stated that "tons of of rioters began to disrupt public order, even earlier than the funeral began," as they worked to safe the procession.

"Hundreds of individuals gathered exterior the French hospital (St. Joseph hospital) in Sheikh Jarrah and commenced chanting nationalist incitement," added the statement.

"Towards the exit of the casket from the hospital, rioters started throwing stones toward the policemen from the French hospital plaza, and the policemen had been pressured to act."

Thousands have been packed inside and out of doors the church as Abu Akleh's body arrived. Ladies were heard ululating in mourning and clergymen sang Christian hymns in Arabic because the coffin, draped in Palestinian flags, was carried by means of the group.

The circumstances of her death remain unclear. The Palestinian Authority on Thursday denied Israel's offer of a joint investigation, insisting on an impartial course of and vowing to strive those accused of her killing to the International Legal Court docket (ICC).

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh informed Al Jazeera on Thursday that the outcomes of their investigation can be released soon and will include the autopsy report.

Israeli military investigators confiscated the guns of some IDF troops as a part of their inquiry, reported the Washington Post on Thursday, citing an unnamed IDF official. The weapons had been taken in order that they are often made out there for ballistics testing, the official mentioned.

Givara Al-Buderi, a fellow Al Jazeera correspondent and an in depth personal friend of Abu Akleh, mentioned she saw the entry wound of a bullet just above the proper eyebrow and was informed by the doctor that part of the bullet had remained lodged in Abu Akleh's skull.

Al-Buderi was known as by doctors to assist take away Abu Akleh's clothing and change her for the funeral.

"We took off her clothes and needed to put a white costume on her," Al-Buderi instructed CNN, "I tried to put my hand behind her head, however there was nothing there."

"I felt round but there was nothing, nothing left."

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the place Shireen Abu Akleh's funeral service was as a consequence of be held. It was being held at a Greek Catholic Church.

CNN's Nadeen Ebrahim, Mostafa Salem and Celine Alkhaldi in Abu Dhabi contributed reporting.