Mourners Gather for Funeral of American Activist Shot by Israeli Troops

NABLUS, West Bank — The funeral procession for Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a U.S.-Turkish dual national activist, was held by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority on Monday. Eygi was reportedly shot and killed by Israeli forces during a demonstration against Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The mourners, numbering in the dozens, included several prominent officials from the Palestinian Authority. Eygi’s body was draped in a Palestinian flag and covered with a traditional black-and-white checkered scarf. Palestinian security forces carried her body, which was later placed in the back of an ambulance.

In statements from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, spokesman Oncu Keceli indicated that efforts were underway to repatriate Eygi’s remains to Turkey for burial in the coastal town of Didim, in accordance with her family’s wishes. However, complications arose due to the closure of the land crossing from the Palestinian territories to Jordan, leading the ministry to pursue flying the body directly to Turkey instead.

Requests for comment from U.S. officials on the incident went unanswered.

Eygi was participating in a protest in Nablus on Friday when she was shot. Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli peace activist who was at the protest, reported that Eygi posed no threat at the time of her shooting and that the incident occurred during a moment of relative calm. Pollak recounted witnessing two Israeli soldiers take position on the roof of a nearby building. One of the soldiers aimed a weapon at the protesters, which resulted in Eygi being struck in the head.

The Israeli military stated that it is investigating the reports of a foreign national being killed during the protest. They claimed that the troops were firing at an “instigator of violent activity” in the vicinity.

This tragic event adds to a backdrop of increasing violence in the West Bank, which has escalated since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October. There has been a rise in Israeli military raids and attacks by Palestinian militants against Israeli targets, coupled with retaliatory actions by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

The situation remains tense, with emotions running high among the local population. Eygi’s death has drawn attention to the risks faced by activists working in the region, highlighting the complexities of the ongoing conflict.

The funeral procession underscored the pain and loss felt by Eygi’s family, friends, and the community of mourners, many of whom carried signs expressing solidarity and condemnation of the violence faced by civilians in conflict zones. As the West Bank grapples with rising tensions, Eygi’s story serves as a reminder of the human cost of the enduring conflict.

Her family and supporters are demanding accountability and justice, calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Eygi, aged 26, was remembered as a passionate activist committed to her cause, and her loss is keenly felt in both her hometown of Seattle and in the regions where she worked to promote peace and solidarity.

As the funeral concluded, the mourners expressed their anguish and determination to continue the work Eygi believed in. The echoes of their chants for justice and peace resonated through the streets of Nablus, symbolizing their resolve to honor her legacy.