The Israeli military stated that American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was killed in the West Bank during a demonstration last week, was likely shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by its soldiers, AP News reports.
Eygi, a 26-year-old from Seattle and Turkey, was involved in protests against settlements when she was reportedly shot in the head by Israeli soldiers after a protest had calmed down. Israel expressed deep regret and has launched a criminal investigation into the incident. However, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the shooting, calling it unacceptable, and Eygi’s family rejected the claim that her death was accidental.
The killing occurred amid heightened tensions in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7. The death has drawn international attention, but human rights groups have criticized Israeli military investigations for rarely holding soldiers accountable.
