Posted on 09/06/24
| News Source: JPost
American-Turkish human rights activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, succumbed to her wounds on Friday after being shot in the head by Israeli forces during a weekly protest against settlement expansions in the West Bank, according to Palestinian Authority-run news outlet Wafa.
During the weekly protest in Beita, south of Nablus in the West Bank, IDF soldiers opened fire at the protesters using live ammunition, the report noted. Eygi was subsequently critically wounded in the head. The 26 years old activist was evacuated to Rafida Hospital in Nablus, where she later died.
Fouad Nafaa, the head of the Rafidia Hospital, told Reuters that a woman arrived at the hospital in a very critical condition with a serious head injury.
"We tried to perform a resuscitation operation on her, but unfortunately, she died," he said.
Wafa’s report noted that the IDF used live ammunition, stun grenades, and tear gas in an attempt to disperse the protest in Beita, which, in addition to fatally wounding Eygi, caused shrapnel to injure an 18-year-old Palestinian.
Eygi was part of the Faz'a campaign, which supports Palestinian farmers against military and settler violations. Additionally, similar to Rachel Corrie, who was killed in Rafah in 2003 while attempting to interfere with IDF operations, Eygi was a member of the International Solidarity Movement, a Palestinian-led movement.
The Israeli military stated that during a violent public disorder, stones were thrown at IDF forces, who responded by shooting at the lower body of the main instigator of the rioters, according to the IDF.
Additionally, the Israeli military said it was investigating the reports, emphasizing that the details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review.
The IDF has yet to respond to The Jerusalem Post's request for a comment on the incident.
Protests in Beita are frequent, with tensions high over Israeli settlement activities in the area, according to Wafa.