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Eygi’s death is the latest in a string of escalating violence in the West Bank following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. According to Palestinian health officials, more than 690 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began. The West Bank has seen increased Israeli military raids, attacks by Palestinian militants on Israeli citizens, and retaliatory actions by Israeli settlers.
The IDF released a statement confirming they were investigating reports that a foreign national had been killed. “Today (Friday), during Israeli security forces activity adjacent to the area of Beita, the forces responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them. The IDF is looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area. The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review.”
Despite the growing number of deaths and calls for de-escalation, the Israeli military shows no signs of slowing down its operations in the West Bank. On the same day as Eygi’s death, an Israeli airstrike reportedly killed 27 people in a separate incident. Protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict have also been intensifying, with tens of thousands of Israelis taking to the streets in recent weeks.
Carry 46 rounds concealed? (comfortably)
The Turkish government has condemned the killing of Eygi, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling Israel’s actions “barbaric.” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed the dual citizenship of Eygi, who was a resident of Turkey.
This incident has drawn international attention, as the IDF’s use of live ammunition against protestors continues to fuel outrage. One witness at the scene told reporters that Eygi received no medical attention from the IDF after she was shot. “I found her lying on the ground, beside the tree, bleeding from her head,” he described to AFP. “I took her pulse, she had a very weak pulse, we called the ambulance.” Efforts to save her at a local medical center were unsuccessful.
As tensions in the region continue to rise, the death of a U.S. citizen in the conflict could escalate diplomatic pressure on Israel. With growing calls for an investigation, international observers are closely watching how both the Israeli and U.S. governments respond in the coming days.
