A 26-year-old American woman has been shot dead during protests in the occupied West Bank.
Turkish-born Aysenur Ezgi Eygi reportedly took part in protests against the expansion of a Jewish settlement in the town of Beitah, near Nablus.
Ms Ezgi Eygi was allegedly shot dead by Israeli troops, local media reported. The IDF said they “retaliated with fire on a main instigator of violence who threw stones at the IDF and posed a threat to them” in the Beta area.
The American activist was shot in the head and rushed to a hospital in Nablus, where he was later pronounced dead, AFP reported.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it was “investigating reports that a foreigner was killed as a result of gunfire in the area.”
The Israeli military added: “The details of the incident and the circumstances under which she was shot are under review.”
According to Palestinian media reports, the 26-year-old had been involved in a campaign to protect farmers from violence by Israeli settlers.
Turkish media reported that Ms. Ezgi Eygi was American and Turkish and was born in Antalya.
Dr. Fouad Naffa, director of Ms. Ezgi Eygi’s hospital, confirmed that an American citizen in his 20s died from a “shot to the head.”
it appears after Israeli troops withdraw from Jenin city and its refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, conducting major operations in the area for nine days.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 36 Palestinians died during the operation, 21 of them from Jenin Province. Armed groups claimed most of the dead were members, but the ministry said children were also among those killed.
Over the past 50 years, Israel has established settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are currently home to more than 700,000 Jews.
The settlements are considered illegal under international law – a position taken by the United Nations Security Council and the British government, among others – although Israel rejects this.
