During an Israeli operation in the West Bank, an Al Jazeera reporter was slain.

Shereen Abu Aqleh, an Al Jazeera journalist, was killed while reporting on an Israeli security raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

Israeli troops shot Abu Aqleh, 51, "deliberately" and "in cold blood," according to the Qatar-based TV channel. Another journalist was shot and injured.

The Israeli military denied targeting journalists with its soldiers.

It was investigating "the likelihood" that they had been "struck by Palestinian gunmen" during a firefight.

Israel's Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, called Abu Aqleh's murder "sad" and said the country had volunteered to cooperate with the Palestinian Authority on an investigation.

"In crisis zones, journalists must be protected, and we all have a responsibility to get to the truth," he continued.

Abu Aqleh was shot "in the face" while wearing a press flak jacket and helmet, according to Qatar's Assistant Foreign Minister Lolwah al-Khater.

After being shot, Abu Aqleh was brought to the hospital in critical condition, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Shereen Abu Aqleh, a prominent character on Al Jazeera's Arabic news channel, had spent 15 years reporting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Nida Ibrahim, an Al Jazeera journalist, described herself as a "very well respected journalist" who said the news came as a "shock" to her colleagues.

In recent weeks, Israeli Arabs and Palestinians have carried out a spate of attacks in Israel, killing 17 Israelis and two Ukrainians.

At least 26 Palestinians have been slain, including assailants killed while carrying out assaults and militants and bystanders killed during Israeli raids and clashes in the West Bank.

Four of the Palestinians who carried out assaults in Israel hailed from the Jenin neighborhood, which has been the focus of Israeli operations.