A Turkish-American lady was shot lifeless Friday whereas demonstrating towards Israeli settlements within the occupied West Financial institution city of Beita, the place the military acknowledged opening hearth.
Turkey recognized the lady as Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, condemning her demise, whereas the USA referred to as it a “tragic” occasion and referred to as on its ally Israel to hold out an investigation.
Whereas Washington stopped quick from blaming anybody, the UN rights workplace instantly accused Israeli forces of killing Eygi, saying Israeli safety forces “shot within the head and killed” her.
The incident occurred as Israeli forces withdrew from a lethal 10-day raid within the West Financial institution metropolis of Jenin, one other flashpoint within the Israeli-Palestinian battle, amid the continuing Gaza warfare.
The raid, a part of broader Israeli army operations, has drawn worldwide criticism, with Israeli ally Germany warning towards escalating army actions within the West Financial institution.
The UN mentioned Eygi, 26, was collaborating in a “peaceable anti-settlement protest” in Beita, scene of weekly demonstrations. Israeli settlements within the West Financial institution — the place some 490,000 individuals stay — are unlawful below worldwide regulation.
She arrived on the Rafidia hospital in Nablus “with a gunshot within the head” and was later pronounced lifeless, mentioned hospital director Fouad Nafaa.
Turkey mentioned she was killed by “Israeli occupation troopers”. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the Israeli motion as “barbaric”.
“We’re deeply disturbed by the tragic demise of an American citizen,” mentioned White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre aboard Air Pressure One travelling with President Joe Biden.
“We’ve reached out to the federal government of Israel to ask for extra data and request an investigation into the incident,” she added.
The Israeli military mentioned it was wanting into her demise.
Eygi was a member of the Worldwide Solidarity Motion (ISM), a pro-Palestinian organisation, and was in Beita for a weekly demonstration towards Israeli settlements, mentioned Neta Golan, the group’s co-founder.
– ‘Collection of crimes’ –
Beita mayor Mahmud Barham mentioned he was instructed an Israeli soldier “fired two photographs” at protesters demonstrating towards an Israeli settlement outpost, with one bullet hitting Eygi “within the head”.
An ISM activist, who spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned the shot that killed Eygi was “a shot to kill” and reported seeing “blood popping out of her head”.
The Israeli military mentioned its forces “responded with hearth towards a major instigator of violent exercise who hurled rocks on the forces and posed a risk to them”.
Since Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 assault on southern Israel which triggered the continuing warfare in Gaza, Israeli troops or settlers have killed no less than 662 Palestinians within the West Financial institution, in keeping with the Palestinian well being ministry.
At the very least 23 Israelis, together with safety forces, have been killed in Palestinian assaults throughout the identical interval, in keeping with Israeli officers.
Responding to Friday’s incident, Hamas strongly condemned “the crime dedicated by the Zionist occupation military” leading to Eygi’s demise.
Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary basic of the Palestine Liberation Group government committee, mentioned on X that he prolonged condolences to Eygi’s household.
“One other crime added to the collection of crimes dedicated day by day by the occupation forces, which require that their perpetrators be held accountable in worldwide courts,” he mentioned.
– Jenin pullout –
There was no official affirmation of the withdrawal from Jenin, however AFP journalists reported residents returning house.
The raid on Jenin and different areas of the West Financial institution killed “35 terrorists’, the Israeli military mentioned Friday, stressing that its “counterterrorism operation has but to be concluded”.
The UN rights workplace mentioned nonetheless that 36 Palestinians, together with eight youngsters, have been killed within the 10-day operation launched on August 28.
The Jenin pullout got here with Israel at loggerheads with key ally the USA over talks to forge a truce within the Gaza warfare, now practically in its twelfth month.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel and Hamas to finalise a deal, saying: “I feel based mostly on what I’ve seen, 90 p.c is agreed.”
However Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied this, telling Fox Information: “It isn’t shut.”
Washington and fellow mediators Qatar and Egypt have been pushing a proposal to bridge gaps between either side.
Netanyahu insists on a army presence on the border between Gaza and Egypt alongside the so-called Philadelphi Hall.
Hamas is demanding an entire Israeli withdrawal, saying it agreed months in the past to a proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden.
Visiting Israel on Friday, German Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned “a purely army method is not any answer to the state of affairs in Gaza”, after the restoration of six lifeless hostages introduced on the weekend.
Hamas’s October 7 assault on Israel resulted within the deaths of 1,205 individuals, largely civilians together with some hostages killed in captivity, in keeping with official Israeli figures.
Of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants through the assault, 97 stay in Gaza together with 33 the Israeli army says are lifeless. Scores have been launched throughout a one-week truce in November.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has thus far killed no less than 40,878 individuals, in keeping with the well being ministry within the Hamas-run territory.
A lot of the lifeless are girls and kids, in keeping with the UN rights workplace.
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