The Israeli military has suggested that the fatal shooting of an American activist in the West Bank last week was “indirect and unintentional.” The incident, which led to the death of 26-year-old Aysenur Ezgi Eygi from Seattle, sparked outrage, particularly from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Eygi’s family. The military claimed that while Israeli forces were operating in the area, they did not target Eygi directly.
Eygi, who also held Turkish citizenship, was participating in a protest against Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory when she was shot in the head. Doctors attending to her confirmed that the wound proved fatal. Following the event, Israel announced the launch of a criminal investigation into the circumstances of her death.
When questioned during a press conference in London, Blinken strongly condemned the killing, emphasizing that the United States would not tolerate such actions from its allies. He stressed that attending a protest should never result in death, urging Israel to reevaluate its security measures in the West Bank.
“No one—no one—should be shot and killed for attending a protest,” Blinken asserted. He added that the Israeli military needs to undergo significant reforms in how it conducts operations in the occupied territory.
Eygi’s family, based in the U.S., also voiced their dissatisfaction, rejecting the notion that her death was accidental. In a statement, they expressed their anger, saying, “We are deeply offended by the suggestion that her killing by a trained sniper was in any way unintentional.”
This case has drawn increased attention to the broader issues surrounding Israeli military practices and the treatment of activists in the region.
