US-Turkish Protester Killed in West Bank as Israeli Forces Open Fire

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old dual citizen of the United States and Turkey, was shot and killed during a protest against Israeli settlements in the West Bank on September 6, 2024. The incident took place in the town of Beita, near Nablus, which has been a hotspot for protests against settlement expansion. Eygi was part of a demonstration organized by the International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian group that frequently engages in peaceful protests in areas affected by Israeli settlement policies.

Eygi, who had just joined the protest movement, was reportedly shot in the head during the demonstration. Witnesses on the scene described hearing two distinct shots of live ammunition before seeing her fall to the ground, bleeding profusely. She was quickly rushed to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, where medical staff tried to resuscitate her but were unsuccessful. The hospital later confirmed she died from a gunshot wound to the head.

The Israeli military, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), acknowledged that they had opened fire during the protest but claimed they were responding to what they described as violent actions from the protesters, who were allegedly hurling rocks at the soldiers. However, protesters and witnesses on the ground denied that Eygi was involved in any violent activities, asserting that no rocks were thrown where she had been standing at the time of her death.

Eygi's death has sparked outrage, with both Turkey and the United States calling for thorough investigations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the Israeli action as "barbaric," and Turkey's Foreign Ministry labeled the shooting a "heinous crime." The U.S. also expressed its concern, with the White House calling her death tragic and urging Israeli authorities to investigate. International reactions, including from Qatar and human rights organizations, have been swift, criticizing the use of force and the continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.

The protest in Beita is part of a broader movement against the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a contentious issue that has led to frequent clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian residents. The Eviatar settlement outpost, located near Beita, has been the focus of many protests, drawing the attention of both international activists and local Palestinians.

Eygi's death has drawn international attention, largely due to her dual nationality, as calls for accountability grow amid an already tense situation in the region.