Seattle woman shot, killed by IDF during protest in West Bank

UW grad killed during protest in West Bank

Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, went to West Seattle High School and recently graduated from University of Washington. She was in Beita, a region in the West Bank near Nablus, on Friday morning protesting with others against Israeli occupation.

SEATTLE - An American protester shot in the head and killed by Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldiers was a Seattle native and a University of Washington graduate.

The U.S. State Department confirmed Eygi's death, but neither they nor the IDF specified the cause of death.

However, Reuters, citing the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, reported that a U.S. citizen taking part in a protest against settlement expansion in the West Bank died of her wounds on Friday after being shot in the head by Israeli troops.

The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) issued a statement on Friday, saying the "Israeli army intentionally shot and killed [a…] human rights activist named Ayşenur Eygi":

"The Israeli forces fired two rounds. One hit a Palestinian man in the leg, injuring him. The other round was fired at international human rights activists who were observing the demonstration, striking a human rights activist in the head. Eygi died shortly after being transported to a local hospital in Nablus."

ISM says the protest was in response to ongoing Israeli occupation in the area. Such protests were paused in Oct. 2023 after "escalating violence from Israeli occupation forces" in the wake of Hamas' attack on Israel, but began again in July 2024.

The IDF says protesters threw rocks at them, and they replied with live fire. Eygi was hit during the exchange and later succumbed to her injuries.

Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi ((International Solidarity Movement))

University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce issued the following statement:

"This morning brought the awful news that recent UW graduate Aysenur Eygi was reportedly killed by Israeli troops in the West Bank. My heart goes out to Aysenur’s family, friends and loved ones. Aysenur was a peer mentor in psychology who helped welcome new students to the department and provided a positive influence in their lives. This is the second time over the past year that violence in the region has taken the life of a member of our UW community and I again join with our government and so many who are working and calling for a ceasefire and resolution to the crisis."

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who has been outspoken in her criticism of Israel, issued the following statement:

"My heart goes out to Aysenur’s family, friends, and loved ones. This is a terrible tragedy, and I extend my condolences to all those in mourning today. My office is actively working to gather more information on the events that led to her death. I am very troubled by the reports that she was killed by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. The Netanyahu government has done nothing to stop settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank, often encouraged by right-wing ministers of the Netanyahu government. The killing of an American citizen is a terrible proof point in this senseless war of rising tensions in the region."

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) also issued a statement:

"I am heartbroken and angry about the killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, an American citizen, in the West Bank today, who was reportedly peacefully protesting against illegal settlement activity. The government of Israel must deliver answers immediately and hold the perpetrators of this killing accountable. I will be in close touch with the Biden administration to press the Israeli government for full transparency and accountability. My heart is with Aysenur’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. Moreover, Israel must take swift action to put an end to the illegal settler-driven violence that has escalated to a dangerous level in the West Bank. Extremist settler violence in the West Bank, and the associated, ongoing expansion of illegal settlements and outposts, must come to an end — it is important for Israel’s own security and the stability of the entire region."

Eygi has dual U.S.-Turkish citizenship, as confirmed by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.