Jerusalem, ALRAY - US senator Chris Van Hollen has called for an independent US investigation into the assassination of Al-Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh.

Dismissing the Israeli occupation army's report on the circumstances surrounding Abu Akleh's killing, Van Hollen tweeted: “The crux of the ‘defence’ in this IDF [Israel Defence Forces] report is that a soldier was ‘returning fire’ from militants. But investigations … found no such firing at the time."

He pointed out that the findings of the Israeli occupation army's probe "underscores need for independent US inquiry into this American journalist’s death."

On Monday, the Israeli occupation military admitted that there is a “high possibility” that slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was “accidentally” killed by a bullet fired by one of its soldiers.

The Abu Aqleh family rejected the Israeli occupation military's injury, calling for a comprehensive investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"Our family is not surprised by this outcome since it’s obvious to anyone the Israeli war criminals cannot investigate their own crimes," the family said in a statement Monday.

An investigation by Al-Jazeera found that the bullet that killed Abu Akleh matched projectiles used by the Israeli occupation army.