The White House said it was “deeply disturbed” by Eygi’s death after she was shot during a protest in the West Bank.
Topline
Israel’s military said on Tuesday it is “highly likely” American Aysenur Eygi was “indirectly and unintentionally” shot and killed by the Israel Defense Force during a protest in the West Bank last week, according to an initial probe, following criticism of Israel’s response by Eygi’s family and U.S. officials.Key Facts
An early investigation found it is “highly likely” Eygi—also a Turkish citizen—was shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by IDF fire, which was aimed at the “key instigator” of a “violent riot” and not Eygi, the IDF said.
Eygi, a 26-year-old volunteer with the activist group International Solidarity Movement, attended a weekly protest on Friday against Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank town of Beita before she was shot and killed by IDF soldiers, according to the group.
The IDF said the incident took place during a “violent riot” in which dozens of people “burned tires and hurled rocks” toward IDF forces, a claim the International Solidarity Movement previously denied by saying IDF soldiers fired tear gas and live ammunition at praying protestors.
In response to the IDF’s report, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the IDF should make “fundamental changes” in the way it operates in the West Bank, adding the shooting was “not acceptable” and “no one should be shot and killed for attending a protest.
