A 26-year-old American woman was tragically shot and killed in the occupied West Bank during a protest against Jewish settlement expansion. Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, originally from Turkey, was participating in demonstrations in Beita near Nablus when the incident occurred.
Reports indicate that Israeli troops shot Ms. Eygi, who was subsequently rushed to a hospital in Nablus after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head, where she was later pronounced dead. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they “responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them” in the area.
The IDF has announced that it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of this foreign national. In their statement, they emphasized that the specifics of the incident are being reviewed.
Palestinian media outlets reported that Ms. Eygi had been actively involved in efforts to protect local farmers from violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers. She was reportedly both American and Turkish, having been born in Antalya.
Dr. Fouad Naffa, the head of the hospital where Ms. Eygi was treated, confirmed that she died from a gunshot wound to the head. This incident follows the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Jenin city and its nearby refugee camp after a major nine-day operation, during which the Palestinian health ministry reported that at least 36 Palestinians were killed, including children.
Over the past five decades, Israel has established settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, now home to over 700,000 Jews. These settlements are widely considered illegal under international law, a stance supported by the UN Security Council and various governments, although Israel disputes this classification.
