UN seeks probe into death of American activist in West Bank
The United Nations is seeking a "full investigation" into the death of Aysenur Egzi Eygi, a Turkish American activist who was killed recently in the West Bank amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the region.
Eygi, who was born in Turkey, was shot during an antisettlement protest, The Associated Press, reported.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, was asked about the death during a press conference Friday.
The person noted in their question that Eygi, 26, "was shot in the head and killed by Israeli occupation forces in Nablus, West Bank. And as far as I know, that is not a war zone."
"What is your reaction to this? Do you condemn it? And do you have a call for the [Israel Defense Forces], who has also taken responsibility for her death?” the reporter added, according to a transcript of the exchange.
“I had not heard of this case,” Dujarric responded. “I can tell you that we, of course, we would want to see a full investigation of the circumstances and that people should be held accountable. And again, civilians must be protected at all times.”
The White House, in a statement following the news, said the administration is “deeply disturbed” by the death and also called for a probe.
“We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Egzi Eygi, today in the West Bank and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement Friday. “We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has acknowledged aiming at demonstrators in the past and said it is probing the incident. The military group said it "responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them."
The Hill has reached out to Israel’s Ministry of Defense.