US-Turkish activist shot dead by Israeli forces during protests in West Bank – family calls for independent investigation

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old US-Turkish woman, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers during a demonstration in the West Bank. According to witnesses, she posed no threat at the time of the incident. Eygi, a recent graduate of the University of Washington and US-Turkish citizen, was taking part in a demonstration against Israeli settlements when she was hit in the head by a bullet. The tragic incident has been strongly condemned and calls are being made for an independent investigation into the circumstances of her death.

Eygi was part of a group of activists and Palestinians gathered near the town of Beita, which is a frequent site of protests against the nearby Israeli settlement of Evyatar. The protest, which initially consisted of a communal prayer, escalated into clashes with Israeli forces, who responded with tear gas and live ammunition. Witnesses said the situation had calmed down when soldiers fired the shots that killed Eygi.

Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli activist who was present at the scene, described the moments before Eygi's death. He described how soldiers on a nearby rooftop pointed their guns at the group and fired. “I saw her lying on the ground, next to an olive tree, bleeding to death,” Pollak said, underscoring the sudden and deadly nature of the shooting.

Another witness, Mariam Dag, also an activist with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), confirmed the report and said the shots came from the direction of the Israeli forces. She noted that Eygi was keen to attend the protest, having arrived in the West Bank only days before. “She was keen to come to the demonstration,” Dag said, adding that the shots were fired when there were no immediate confrontations.

The Israeli military has admitted to firing on the protesters, claiming it was targeting an “instigator of violent activities” who posed a threat to the forces. However, they have not confirmed whether the person they were targeting was Eygi. The US government, while confirming Eygi's death, expressed deep concern and called on Israel to conduct a thorough investigation.

The incident is the latest in a series of violent clashes in the West Bank, where hostilities have escalated since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October. According to Palestinian health officials, more than 690 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing conflict, many of these deaths occurring during Israeli military operations.

Eygi's death has sparked strong reactions from both her family and the international community. Her family has called for an independent investigation and expressed skepticism about the impartiality of an Israeli-led investigation. “We call on President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary of State Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of a U.S. citizen,” the family said in a statement.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has indicated that the US is “intensely focused” on uncovering the facts surrounding Eygi's death. However, the US has been criticized for its response to similar incidents in the past in which American citizens were killed under disputed circumstances in the West Bank.

The Turkish government has also condemned the murder. The Foreign Ministry has promised to demand justice for Eygi. “We will work to ensure that the murderers of our citizen are brought to justice,” said ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli.

Eygi's involvement with the ISM is reminiscent of the tragic fates of other activists associated with the group, such as American Rachel Corrie and Briton Tom Hurndall, both of whom were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2003. The ISM's mission is to place its members between Israeli forces and Palestinians to prevent military operations.

Amid mounting international pressure, the Israeli military is once again under scrutiny for its handling of protests and rules of engagement. Human rights groups have long criticized the failure to hold Israeli soldiers responsible for the deaths of Palestinians and international activists accountable.

Eygi's family, friends and fellow activists mourn her loss as a passionate advocate for human rights. Aria Fani, a professor at the University of Washington who knew Eygi, described her as someone with “a gift for listening to others” and a deep commitment to justice. “She had to bear witness for the sake of her own humanity,” Fani recalled.