The White House asks for a probe into the West Bank killing of an American woman.
The entire family of a 26-year-old American citizen who was shot and died during a protest in the occupied West Bank said that the tragedy was caused by an Israeli military shooter and that an Israeli probe would not suffice. The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) reported that Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, someone who recently graduated of the University of Washington in Seattle, was shot and killed on Friday during a protest in Beita.
According to Eygi's family, "Aysenur passed away by a shot that video indicates came from an Israeli military shooter when she was calmly waiting for justice." Her family released a statement saying, "We welcome the White House's expression of condolences, but given the circumstances of Aysenur's killing, an Israeli inquiry is not sufficient."
We demand that Secretary of State Blinken, Vice President Harris, and President Biden order an impartial inquiry into the wrongful death of a citizen of the United States and that those responsible for it face full consequences," they declared. The White House announced that it had sought an investigation and further details from the Israeli authorities. Sean Savett, a spokesman for the National Security Council, expressed his "deep dismay" at Eygi's passing. Eygi was reportedly participating in the ISM's weekly protest against the growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank in the town of Beita, which is located north of Ramallah.
The group said in a statement that the demonstration "primarily involved men and children praying" and that the IDF used live bullets after firing tear gas. According to the ISM, Eygi was wounded in the head and passed away soon after being brought to a Nablus hospital. In accordance to the ISM, Eygi is the only non-Palestinian protestor to have been slain in Beita since 2020, making her the 18th. “Answered with fire toward a main agitator of armed conflict who hurled rocks at the forces and presented a threat to them,” the Israel Defense soldiers said of their presence in the vicinity of Beita.
The IDF stated that it was investigating claims that a foreign national had died as a consequence of gunfire in the vicinity. "We are reviewing the incident's specifics and the circumstances surrounding her hit."
Eygi had citizenship in both Turkey and the United States. Recep Erdogan, the president of Turkey, denounced Israel's "barbaric intervention opposing a civilian demonstration against the occupation in the West Bank" in a statement. According to Eygi's LinkedIn profile, she studied psychology and minored in Middle Eastern languages and cultures. She also stated that she was dedicated to helping underprivileged people. She added, "I'm motivated by a desire to have a positive influence and consistently look for opportunities to learn, develop, and contribute to worthwhile projects."
Eygi was an newest graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle, and the president of the university described the news of her passing as "awful." President Ana Mari Cauce said in an announcement, "My sympathies goes out to Aysenur's friends, relatives, and beloved ones." "Aysenur was a psychology peer mentor who aided in orienting new students to the department and had a positive impact on their lives." According to Cauce, Eygi is the second UW community member to pass away in a violent incident in the area. "I stand in solidarity once more with our government and the numerous individuals striving for a ceasefire and a resolution to this crisis," she declared.
Eygi was just turning 26 when she was killed, and her family described it as a "unbelievable tragedy" in a statement released on Friday. They said, "Aysenur was a loving daughter, sister, partner, and aunt." She was kind, fearless, goofy, encouraging, and a bright light. She showed the world how much she loved. Her relatives stated, "She lived a life of loving for those struggling with action because she felt a deep responsibility to serve others." "She was a persistent and staunch advocate of justice—a fiercely passionate human rights activist throughout her life." Three months ago, Eygi graduated from the university, having participated in on-campus protests before heading to the West Bank.
"Aysenur felt obliged to visit the West Bank in order to express solidarity with the Palestinian civilians who are still subjected to constant assault and repression," they stated. Since October 7, at least two more American nationals have perished in the West Bank. Tawfic Hafeth Abdel Jabbar, also 17, was slain by Israeli fire in January, while Mohammed Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, 17, passed away by IDF troops in February. Over the past few years, Israeli settlements have grown quickly, and settler violence against Palestinians has increased. A study published by Human Rights Watch in April claimed that Palestinian inhabitants of at least five West Bank settlements were forcefully and forcibly evicted by armed settlers "with the active participation of army units."
After carrying out a murderous operation that has destroyed communities throughout the city and beyond, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) appears to be pulling out of Jenin and other areas of the West Bank. The chief of Hamas' presence in Jenin, Wassem Hazem, was among the at least 14 terrorists the IDF reported had been killed. According to the IDF, Hazem was responsible for directing shooting and bomb strikes in the area. Additionally, the IDF detained around thirty individuals as suspects; nevertheless, the military withheld specific allegations against them.
According to Palestinian health officials, since Israel began what it called an operation on August 28 to destroy "terrorist cells" in the West Bank, at least 39 Palestinians have died there. This information was released on Thursday. Several of the deceased have been identified as members of the militant organizations Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas, however the Palestinian health ministry has stated that at least eight children were also slain during that period. As stated in a humanitarian update released on Wednesday, "Israeli forces have been employing lethal, war-like strategies throughout the northern West Bank for more than a week, deepening people's basic necessities and raising concerns over excessive use of force."
According to OCHA, 30 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops in the area between August 27 and September 2, including seven children. This "marks the highest weekly death toll since November 2023." Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian American journalist for Al Jazeera who was documenting operations in the occupied West Bank at that point, was fatally shot by one of Israel's soldiers, the country acknowledged in 2022. The Israeli army has not disclosed any disciplinary actions, nor has anyone been charged.
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