Funeral procession in Nablus on Sept. 9, 2024, for Aysenur Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American who was killed during an anti-colonization protest in Beita (occupied West Bank). (Credit: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)
On Friday, Sept. 6, in the early afternoon, Aysenur Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American, was shot in the head in Beita, a town near Nablus in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces, accused of the fatal shot, stated that it was "highly likely" an "unintentional" shooting, claiming their troops were targeting the "main instigator" during a "violent riot."
The incident occurred as clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers after Friday Muslim prayers on the hill facing the Evyatar settlement, which was legalized by the Israeli government last June. The area had seen ongoing confrontations for months, drawing activists, including foreigners, hoping their presence would protect the village residents. It was Eygi's first visit to the Palestinian territories and her first participation in such a protest.
U.S. President Joe Biden, referring to the Israeli investigation report, suggested that the activist was likely accidentally struck by a stray bullet rather than intentionally targeted by Israeli military forces. The U.S. did not call for an independent investigation. Meanwhile, Eygi's family issued a statement the day after her death, accusing the Israeli army of "illegally and violently" killing their daughter and calling on Washington to order an independent investigation, deeming the Israeli inquiry "insufficient."
The Washington Post's investigation, published on Sept. 11, questioned the Israeli account. The American daily reported that Eygi was mortally wounded more than half an hour after the peak of the clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers. According to the newspaper, she was over 200 meters away from the soldiers, positioned on a rooftop in the village, when she was killed.
With others, the young woman had taken a taxi to Beita, about 30 minutes from Ramallah, to attend the villagers' weekly prayer as a protest against the nearby Israeli settlement. According to witnesses interviewed by the Post, heavily armed Israeli soldiers and young Palestinians throwing stones and burning tires began clashing, with the former quickly firing tear gas and live ammunition.
In the face of escalating violence, Eygi, along with other activists and residents, retreated to the road. Seeking shelter, an Australian activist in her sixties who was accompanying Eygi as a "partner," identified only by her first name, Helen, due to fear of Israeli retaliation, fell and twisted her ankle. Once at the base of the hill, the two women took refuge in an olive grove behind a tree. Eygi remained with Helen.
According to those present, there were a few minutes of calm without gunfire or tear gas. Veteran Israeli activist Jonathan Pollak reported seeing an Israeli soldier on the roof of a nearby building "aiming his weapon" at the activists. He then saw a flash and heard two gunshots. Other witnesses reported hearing three shots. At that moment, Eygi collapsed face down next to Helen, blood streaming from the left side of her head. She was declared dead at 2:35 p.m. after several attempts at resuscitation at the nearest hospital.
Rising Violence in the West Bank
Eygi's violent death has drawn international condemnation and brought attention to the actions of Israeli forces in the occupied territories. Since Oct. 7, 2023, at least 634 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, according to U.N. figures. Some were killed by Israeli soldiers, others by settler attacks. The incident has led President Biden to call the event "absolutely unacceptable" and several officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to express concerns about Israel's rules of engagement in the West Bank. While the U.S. Secretary of State promised there would be consequences, no independent investigation has been demanded.
As the body of Eygi is expected to arrive in Turkey for burial on Friday, Sept. 13, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office is investigating "those responsible for the martyrdom and murder" of the Turkish citizen. The Foreign Ministry stated that it "will do everything possible to ensure that this crime does not go unpunished," with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggesting that Turkey might take the case to international justice.
In a similar case, al-Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh, also a U.S. citizen, was killed by an Israeli sniper in the Jenin refugee camp, also in the West Bank, in 2022. After international condemnation, the Israeli military initially denied responsibility before admitting, a year later, that there was a "strong likelihood" she was "accidentally" killed by Israeli fire, although no soldiers were charged.
