Tue Sep 10 17:37:33 UTC 2024: ## US-Turkish Woman Killed in West Bank Protest: Israeli Investigation Points to Accidental Shooting

**Beita, West Bank:** A US-Turkish woman, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, was shot and killed during a protest against Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank last week. While Israeli authorities have concluded the shooting was unintentional, their explanation has been met with anger and calls for further investigation.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claim the bullet that killed Eygi, a 26-year-old volunteer, was not intentionally aimed at her but ricocheted off the ground while targeting a “key instigator” of the protest. They expressed deep regret over Eygi’s death but maintain the shooting was accidental.

However, the US, a key ally of Israel, has expressed strong criticism of the incident. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken labelled the killing “unprovoked and unjustified”, stating that Israeli forces need to “make some fundamental changes” in their operations in the West Bank, including their rules of engagement. He cited eyewitness accounts that Eygi was peacefully protesting and was not near any clashes when she was hit.

Eygi’s family has also condemned the killing, alleging it was “needless, unlawful and violent” and demanding a full and independent investigation. They maintain Eygi was peacefully protesting when she was shot by an Israeli soldier.

The incident occurred during a protest against the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which is considered illegal by the international community. While Israeli authorities claim the protest was violent, with protesters throwing rocks and burning tires, eyewitnesses and the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a pro-Palestinian organization Eygi was participating with, deny the presence of violent acts at the location of the shooting.

The incident has once again highlighted the ongoing tensions in the West Bank, with calls for a thorough and impartial investigation into Eygi’s death echoing from the US, Turkey, and Eygi’s family. The case underscores the delicate and volatile situation in the region and the need for increased efforts towards peaceful resolution.

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