Türkiye marks first anniversary of Eygi's killing in West Bank

ANKARA

Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry has commemorated the first anniversary of the killing of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish-American activist shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank last year.

Eygi, 26, a dual Turkish-U.S. citizen, was killed on Sept. 6, 2024, during a protest against Israeli settlements near Nablus. Video footage and eyewitnesses said she was targeted by an Israeli sniper.

"This attack, which disregards the lives of innocent civilians, is a clear indicator of violations of international law and human rights," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X.

It added that Türkiye remembers Eygi "with mercy and respect" and vowed to pursue accountability for what it called a "heinous crime."

The Israeli military’s preliminary findings said she was "highly likely hit indirectly and unintentionally" as troops responded to protesters allegedly throwing rocks. Her family, friends and witnesses rejected that account, describing her death as a deliberate attack on a peaceful protester and urging Washington to open an independent investigation.

Turkish prosecutors have launched a probe into Eygi’s killing, and it remains ongoing.