Calls for probe into killing of US-Turkish volunteer

Israeli forces shot dead Aysenur Ezgi Eygi in West Bank

- ANDY GREGORY

The United Nations and the White House have called for a thorough investigation after a US-Turkish woman was fatally shot during a protest in the occupied West Bank.

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was shot in the head by Israeli forces on Friday, during a weekly protest against West Bank settlements in the town of Beita, near the city of Nablus, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The 26-year-old had only arrived on Tuesday as a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement, Al Jazeera reported. The Israeli military said on Friday that it was “looking into reports that a foreign national was killed”.

“Today, during Israeli security forces activity adjacent to the area of Beita, the forces responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them,” it said on X/Twitter.

“The IDF is looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area. The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review,” it added.

White House national security council spokesperson Sean Savett said Washington was “deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen. “We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident,” he added.