Global condemnation grows as Turkish-American volunteer shot dead by Israeli forces

Death of a dual-citizen Turkish-American activist highlights growing dangers faced by protestors in Palestine

ISTANBUL:

The death of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi has sparked widespread outrage and grief, with many organisations, activists, and officials calling for accountability and a stronger international response to Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank.

Eygi, born in Antalya, Türkiye, in 1998, held dual citizenship in both Türkiye and the United States. She was actively involved in the Fazaa campaign, a volunteer initiative supporting Palestinian farmers who face violence and displacement from Israeli settlers and soldiers. Eygi was transferred to Rafidia Hospital after being shot in the head, but medical teams were unable to save her due to the severity of her injuries. Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces had fired live ammunition during the protest.

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was killed while participating in a demonstration against illegal Israeli settlements in Beita, a town in the Nablus district of the occupied West Bank. Tensions in this area have been high, with frequent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces due to ongoing settlement activities. According to Fouad Nafaa, director of Rafidia Hospital, Eygi arrived at the hospital with a critical gunshot wound to the head and succumbed to her injuries despite the efforts of medical staff.

International condemnation of Eygi’s killing has been widespread. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor expressed its shock at her death, emphasising that she was shot directly in the head by Israeli forces. The organisation cast doubt on any potential investigation by Israeli authorities, stating that previous probes often lack meaningful accountability. They stressed the need for international sanctions to prevent further such atrocities.

Ramy Abdu, chairperson of Euro-Med Monitor, paid tribute to Eygi on social media, mourning her loss and condemning the Israeli military’s actions. He reiterated the need for accountability in such incidents, lamenting the failure of international bodies to hold Israel to account.

Palestinian officials also reacted strongly to the killing. Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom, expressed his condolences and urged global authorities to act. Zomlot’s call for international intervention echoes the frustration felt by many Palestinians over the ongoing violence in the West Bank and the lack of consequences for Israeli forces.

Mary Lawlor, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, also expressed her shock at Eygi's death. She questioned how countries that claim to support human rights can continue supplying weapons to Israel, knowing they are being used against activists. Lawlor criticised the international community’s failure to hold Israel accountable, pointing out that calls for investigations often fall on deaf ears.

In the United Kingdom, the Peace and Justice Project also condemned the killing, linking it to the broader issue of international complicity in Israel's actions. They argued that support from the UK and US governments had emboldened Israel to continue its settlement expansions and acts of violence, which they described as ethnic cleansing.

Within Israel, Ofer Cassif, a Knesset member from the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash), criticised the use of American weapons in the killing of Eygi. He described it as part of the "genocidal occupation" and apartheid that continues in the West Bank, calling for an end to the Israeli occupation. Cassif’s condemnation reflects the growing concern among some Israelis over their government's policies in the occupied territories.

Meanwhile, Thomas Portes, a member of the French political party La France Insoumise (LFI), expressed his outrage at the incident. He urged the French government to summon the Israeli ambassador to Paris and called for immediate diplomatic action. Portes highlighted that this killing was part of a broader pattern of Israeli military violence in the occupied territories.

Türkiye has strongly condemned the killing of its citizen, with the Turkish Foreign Ministry expressing deep sorrow over Eygi's death. The ministry extended its condolences to her family and reiterated its opposition to Israel's ongoing occupation and settlement activities in the West Bank.

Eygi’s death has amplified calls for justice and accountability, with many questioning the role of the international community in enabling the Israeli military’s actions. The incident has drawn attention to the larger issue of violence against activists and the impact of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.