A Turkish-American woman, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, was shot and killed on Friday while participating in an anti-settlement protest in the West Bank town of Beita. The Israeli army opened fire during the demonstration, a part of the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Eygi, 26, was actively protesting the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. She was reportedly shot in the head and pronounced dead after being transferred to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus.
Turkey has condemned the killing, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan describing the action as “barbaric.” The United States also responded, expressing its concern through White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. While Washington called the event “tragic” and stopped short of attributing blame, it urged Israel to conduct a thorough investigation.
The UN rights office directly blamed Israeli forces, accusing them of targeting Eygi during what was described as a “peaceful anti-settlement protest.” Eygi was a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a pro-Palestinian organization that regularly demonstrates against the Israeli occupation. According to Neta Golan, co-founder of ISM, she was attending a weekly protest in Beita at the time of her death.
Beita’s mayor, Mahmud Barham, claimed that an Israeli soldier fired two shots at the protesters, with one striking Eygi fatally. An anonymous ISM activist described the incident as a deliberate shot to kill, stating that they witnessed blood coming from Eygi’s head immediately after the gunfire.
The Israeli army responded by stating that its forces had fired upon a protester who was allegedly throwing rocks and posed a threat. They are currently investigating the incident.
Eygi’s death comes amid heightened violence in the region, as Israel continues its military operations in both Gaza and the West Bank. The West Bank, where nearly 490,000 Israeli settlers reside, has been the site of increasing tensions, particularly following the October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel, which led to the ongoing Gaza war. Since then, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 662 Palestinians in the West Bank, while 23 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in the same period, according to official figures.
Hamas condemned the killing of Eygi, calling it another example of violence by the Israeli military. Meanwhile, Palestinian leaders, including Hussein al-Sheikh of the Palestine Liberation Organization, expressed their condolences to Eygi’s family, urging international accountability for Israel’s actions.
This incident also occurred as Israeli forces were withdrawing from Jenin, where a deadly 10-day raid resulted in numerous casualties. The raid was part of broader military operations that have been heavily criticized internationally. While Israel claimed it killed 35 “terrorists” during the operation, the UN reported that 36 Palestinians, including eight children, were killed.
As the conflict continues to escalate, international actors such as the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been involved in attempts to negotiate a truce, particularly regarding the situation in Gaza. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied any imminent agreement, maintaining Israel’s stance on military presence in Gaza’s border region.
Sources By Agencies
