The White Home mentioned it’s “deeply disturbed” by the demise of an American girl who was shot within the head by Israeli troops throughout a protest towards Israeli settlements within the occupied West Financial institution and referred to as for Israel to research her killing, which has induced robust reactions throughout the worldwide neighborhood.
The US state division confirmed the demise of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, a volunteer peace activist with the anti-occupation Worldwide Solidarity Motion (ISM).
Eygi – a US-Turkey twin nationwide – died on Friday after being fatally shot throughout an everyday protest towards settlement growth in Beita close to Nablus, the official Palestinian information company Wafa reported.
The ISM, which organises international volunteers within the Palestinian territories, mentioned Israeli forces “deliberately shot and killed” a global human rights activist in the course of the weekly protest on Friday morning. It didn’t identify the volunteer.
“The demonstration, which primarily concerned males and youngsters praying, was met with violence from the Israeli military stationed on a hill. The volunteer died shortly after being transported to a neighborhood hospital in Nablus,” the ISM mentioned in a assertion.
The person’s household had requested privateness as they mourn their loss, it mentioned. “Their want to grieve in peace must be revered by all, as they navigate this tragic and troublesome scenario.”
The US has not mentioned whether or not Eygi had been shot by Israeli troops. “We’re urgently gathering extra details about the circumstances of her demise, and could have extra to say as we be taught extra,” Matthew Miller, a state division spokesperson, mentioned.
The US ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, echoed these feedback, posting to X his “deepest condolences” to Eygi’s household and family members. “Now we have no larger precedence than the protection and safety of Americans,” he added.
The White Home mentioned it had contacted the Israeli authorities and requested an investigation into Eygi’s killing. “We’re deeply disturbed by the tragic demise of an American citizen, Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, right this moment within the West Financial institution and our hearts exit to her household and family members,” mentioned Sean Savett, the White Home’s nationwide safety council spokesperson.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, the nation’s prime diplomat, deplored the “tragic loss”. “When we now have extra data, we’ll share it, make it out there and, as vital, we’ll act on it,” Blinken informed reporters, in keeping with Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Turkey’s international ministry mentioned it had discovered “with nice sorrow” {that a} Turkish nationwide had been killed. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, condemned Israel’s “barbaric intervention towards a civilian protest” that he mentioned led to Eygi’s killing.
The Israeli navy admitted to firing on the demonstrators and mentioned it was wanting into stories {that a} international nationwide was killed. The Israel Protection Forces mentioned it “responded with hearth towards a major instigator of violent exercise who hurled rocks on the forces and posed a risk to them”.
Eygi graduated from the College of Washington earlier this 12 months, in keeping with Aria Fani, an assistant professor of Center Jap languages and cultures. Fani mentioned Eygi was an distinctive scholar and individual.
He mentioned he had seen Eygi about two months earlier and urged her to not go to the West Financial institution as a result of he was fearful for her security there.
The College of Washington mentioned she had been a peer mentor there, having helped “welcome new college students to the division and supplied a optimistic affect of their lives”.
In an announcement, the college’s president, Ana Mari Cauce, described Eygi’s killing as “terrible” and mentioned she referred to as for “a ceasefire and backbone to the disaster” on the West Financial institution.
“My coronary heart goes out to Ayşenur’s household, pals and family members,” she added.
Eygi is the third ISM activist to have been killed since 2000, in keeping with the Related Press. She was the 18th demonstrator to be killed in Beita since 2020, the ISM mentioned.
In 2003, whereas protesting towards the Israeli navy’s destruction of homes in Rafah within the southern Gaza Strip, Rachel Corrie – a 23-year-old US citizen from Olympia in Washington state – was killed by an Israeli military bulldozer.
A month later, Tom Hurndall, a 22-year-old Briton, was shot within the head whereas he was serving to Palestinian kids cross a road in Rafah. He died the next 12 months. An Israeli soldier was discovered responsible of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in jail.
In August, an American activist mentioned he was shot within the leg by Israeli forces throughout a protest in Beita. The person, who spoke to the AFP utilizing a pseudonym, mentioned Israeli troops had been “firing teargas at us, dwell rounds” and that he was shot whereas he was working away.
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