A Turkish-American woman was shot dead Friday while protesting Israeli settlement expansion, where the Israeli army admitted to firing on protesters who threw stones.
Palestinian and Turkish officials said Israeli soldiers shot and killed 26-year-old Aysenur Ezgi Igi.
The White House said it was “deeply saddened” by Iggy’s death but did not say whether she was shot by Israeli soldiers and urged Israel to investigate.
The Israeli military said it was investigating reports that a female foreign national “was killed as a result of gunfire in the area. Details of the incident and the circumstances under which she was beaten are being reviewed. Israel’s military also said the shooting in the protest area involved “inciting violent activity”.
What do we know about the shooting?
Dozens of Palestinians and international activists, such as Iggy of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), held communal prayers on a hill outside the northern West Bank city of Beita, which overlooks the Israeli settlement of Eviatar, shortly after the shooting.
Soldiers surrounded the prayer group, and clashes broke out, with Palestinians throwing stones and soldiers firing tear gas and live ammunition, Israeli protester Jonathan Pollack told The Associated Press.
Fouad Nafa, head of Nablus’ Rafidiya Hospital, told Reuters news agency that Iggy arrived at the hospital in critical condition with severe head injuries and later died of her injuries.
“We tried to perform a resuscitation operation on her, but, unfortunately, she died,” he said.
Turkey has blamed Netanyahu
Turkey’s foreign ministry said Igi had been shot in the head and blamed the Israeli government for his death. Foreign Ministry spokesman Onku Keseli said the country “will make every effort to ensure that those who killed our citizen are brought to justice.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s actions as “barbaric”.
The US says it is ‘deeply saddened’ by Aggie’s death
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death today in the West Bank of Aysrnur Egzi Egzi, an American citizen, and our hearts go out to his family and loved ones,” White House national security spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement.
“We have contacted the Israeli government to ask for more information and to request an investigation into the incident,” the statement added.
International Status of West Bank Settlements
The settlements are viewed by the international community as illegal under international law.
The settlement of Evyatar was initially an unrecognized outpost under Israeli law but was legalized by the Israeli cabinet in July, in a move far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said was in response to the recognition of a Palestinian state by several countries.
Israeli fire has killed more than 660 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel by the Gaza-based militant group Hamas, according to Palestinian health officials. In that time, attacks on Israelis in the region by Palestinian militants have also increased and at least 23 Israelis have been killed, according to Israeli officials.
The West Bank is about 50 kilometers from the Gaza Strip and is run by the Fatah group.
jsi/sms (AP, Reuters, AFP)
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