Israeli police assaulted Palestinian mourners in the funeral procession of slain Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on Friday in occupied East Jerusalem.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the Israeli police attacked the funeral procession as it started from the French hospital in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

They added that the Israeli police surrounded the mourners and used stun grenades and batons to assault the pallbearers carrying Abu Akleh’s casket.

The Israeli police allowed a few Palestinians to accompany her casket to Jerusalem's Old City, where she will be buried at the Mount Zion Protestant Cemetery.

Veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was covering Israeli military raids near the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank when she was shot dead on Wednesday. Palestinian officials and the Doha-based network say she was targeted by Israeli forces.

Abu Akleh's death has drawn widespread condemnation. Video footage from the moments after she was shot showed Abu Akleh, 51, wearing a blue vest marked "Press".

At least two of her colleagues who were with her said that they had come under Israeli sniper fire and that they were not close to militants.

Israel, which has voiced regret at Abu Akleh's death has proposed a joint investigation with the Palestinians, asking them to provide the bullet for examination.

The Palestinians have rejected the Israeli request. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday said Israel was fully responsible and called for an international investigation.