Family of 26-year-old American killed during protest in Occupied Territories West Bank He said she was killed by Israeli gunmen and that Israel’s investigation into the incident may not be sufficient.
Aysenur Ezgui Egi, a recent graduate from the University of Washington in Seattle, was shot and killed during a demonstration in Beita on Friday, according to the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
“Aysenour was fighting peacefully for justice and was killed by bullets fired by Israeli gunmen, which can be seen on video,” Eygi’s family said.
“We welcome the White House’s statement of condolences, but given the circumstances of Aysenour’s killing, the Israeli investigation falls short,” her family said in a statement.
“We call on President Biden, Vice President Harris and Secretary of State Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of an American citizen and ensure that those responsible are held fully accountable,” they said.
The White House said it had asked the Israeli government for more information and urged it to investigate. National Security Council spokesman Sean Sabet said the White House was “deeply troubled” by Agie’s death.
ISM said Egi was taking part in weekly demonstrations in the town of Beita, north of Ramallah, against Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.
The group said in a statement that the protests were “mainly attended by men and children” and that the IDF responded with force, firing tear gas and then live ammunition.
Eigi was shot in the head and died shortly after being taken to a hospital in Nablus, according to ISM. He is the 18th protester and the only non-Palestinian to be killed in Beita since 2020, according to ISM.
The IDF, stationed near Beita, said it had responded with gunfire to “target perpetrators of violence who were hurling stones and making threats towards the army.”
“The IDF is investigating reports that shots were fired in the area, resulting in the death of a foreign national,” the IDF said. “The details of the incident and the circumstances under which she was shot are currently under investigation.”
Aygi, a dual national, also holds Turkish nationality. In a statement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s “brutal interference in civilian protests against its occupation of the West Bank.”
Egi’s profile on the social networking site LinkedIn says she is a psychology major with a minor in Middle Eastern languages and cultures and is committed to underserved communities.
“I am driven by a passion to make a positive impact and am always seeking opportunities to learn, grow and contribute to meaningful projects,” she wrote.
The University of Washington in Seattle said Egi had recently graduated, and the school’s president called news of her death “dreadful.”
“Our deepest condolences go to Aysenour’s family, friends and loved ones,” President Ana Mari Cauce said. It said in a statement“Aysenour is a psychology peer mentor, welcoming new undergraduate students and making a positive impact on their lives.”
Kose said Egi is the second member of the UW community to die in violence in the area. “I once again stand with the government and the many people who are working for a ceasefire and a resolution to the crisis,” Kose said.
Aygie’s family said in a statement on Friday that her murder was an “unimaginable tragedy” and that she had just turned 26. “Aysenour was a loving daughter, sister, partner and aunt,” the family said.
“She was kind, brave, playful, supportive and sunny. She was forthright in expressing her feelings. She felt a deep responsibility to serve others and lived her life caring for those in need through her actions,” her family said. “Throughout her life, she was an incredibly passionate human rights activist and a staunch advocate for justice.”
Eigi, who graduated from university three months ago, participated in protests on campus as a student before moving to the West Bank.
“Aysenour felt the need to go to the West Bank to stand in solidarity with Palestinian civilians who continue to endure ongoing repression and violence,” they said.
At least two other Americans have been killed in the West Bank since October 7: Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Khudour, 17, who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces in February, and Tawfik Hafez Abdel-Jabar, 17, who was killed by Israeli gunfire in January.
Israeli settlements have expanded rapidly in recent years. Israeli settler violence against Palestinians The number is on the rise. In April, Human Rights Watch released a report alleging that armed settlers have forcibly and violently expelled Palestinian residents. At least five West Bank settlements will be withdrawn “with the active participation of military forces.”
Israeli forces appear to be withdrawing from the city of Jenin and other parts of the West Bank, where the IDF has been fighting. Deadly operations lasting several days It has caused devastation throughout the city and surrounding areas.
In Jenin, the IDF said it had killed at least 14 people it identified as terrorists, including Wasem Hazem, who was in charge of Hamas’s base in Jenin and is said to have orchestrated gunfire and explosion attacks in the area.
The IDF has detained more than 30 suspects, but the military did not provide details about the charges.
Palestinian health officials said on Thursday that at least 39 people have been killed in the West Bank since Israel launched an operation on Aug. 28 to eliminate “terrorist cells” in the region.
Many of those killed are alleged to be members of the militant groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, while the Palestinian Health Ministry said at least eight children were among those killed.
“For more than a week, Israeli forces have been employing lethal war-like tactics in the northern West Bank, exacerbating the humanitarian needs of the population and raising concerns about the excessive use of force,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement. Humanitarian Update It was released on Wednesday.
OCHA said Israeli forces killed 30 Palestinians, including seven children, in the Palestinian territories between Aug. 27 and Sept. 2, “the highest weekly death toll since November 2023.”
In 2022, Israel acknowledged that one of its soldiers had been shot dead. Shireen Abu Akre, Palestinian-American journalistHe was covering the raids in the occupied West Bank for Al Jazeera at the time. No one in the Israeli military has been charged, and the army has not announced any disciplinary action.
