Turkish-American activist shot dead by Israeli sniper — autopsy

An autopsy report of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish-American activist, has confirmed she was killed by an Israeli sniper’s bullet to the head, Nablus governor Ghassan Daghlas said on Saturday.

In a statement to Anadolu, Daghlas said the autopsy results indicated Eygi’s cause of death was a gunshot wound inflicted by a sniper, specifically targeting her head. Eygi had been rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead upon arrival.

He said the examination was conducted late Friday night at the Forensic Medicine Institute, An-Najah National University in Nablus.

Palestinian officials had earlier suggested Eygi’s death was likely the result of deliberate targeting by an Israeli sniper.

According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, information about Eygi’s death was shared with the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem on Friday.

Earlier, the family of a Turkish-American woman shot dead while demonstrating against Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank demanded an independent investigation into her death, accusing the Israeli military of killing her "violently".

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was "shot in the head" while participating in a demonstration in Beita in the occupied West Bank on Friday.

"Her presence in our lives was taken needlessly, unlawfully, and violently by the Israeli military," Eygi's family said in a statement.

"A US citizen, Aysenur was peacefully standing for justice when she was killed by a bullet that video shows came from an Israeli military shooter.

"We call on President (Joe) Biden, Vice President (Kamala) Harris, and Secretary of State (Antony) Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of a US citizen and to ensure full accountability for the guilty parties."

The Israeli military said its forces "responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them" during the protest.

Eygi was a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a pro-Palestinian organisation, and was in Beita on Friday for a weekly demonstration against Israeli settlements, according to ISM.

In recent years, pro-Palestinian demonstrators have frequently held weekly protests against the Eviatar settlement outpost overlooking Beita, which is backed by far-right Israeli ministers.

'Tragic', 'barbaric'

During Friday's protest, Eygi was shot in the head, according to the UN rights office and Rafidia hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Türkiye said she was killed by "Israeli occupation soldiers", with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemning the Israeli action as "barbaric".

Washington called it a "tragic" event and has pressed its close ally Israel to investigate.

But her family has demanded an independent probe.

"Given the circumstances of Aysenur’s killing, an Israeli investigation is not adequate," her family said.

Her family said Eygi always advocated "an end to the violence against the people of Palestine".

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank where about 490,000 people live are illegal under international law.