ISRAEL, — An American woman killed in a protest in the West Bank, Aysenur Eygi, was a recent graduate of the University of Washington, school president Ana Mari Cauce confirmed in a statement Friday.
Israeli soldiers killed the woman during an anti-settlement protest in the West Bank on Friday, a witness told The Associated Press, in a shooting that raised calls from Washington for an investigation.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the death of the 26-year-old woman born in Turkey as Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. The White House said it was “deeply disturbed” by the killing.
Eygi's family released a statement on Friday night, which stated she was a "loving daughter, sister, partner, and aunt."
"Like the olive tree she lay beneath where she took her last breaths, Aysenur was strong, beautiful, and nourishing. Her presence in our lives was taken needlessly, unlawfully, and violently by the Israeli military," the family's statement read in part.
Eygi had graduated from the University of Washington in June where she studied psychology and Middle Eastern languages and cultures, according to her family. She was a passionate human rights activist who felt a responsibility to serve others through action, the family said.
They said she "felt compelled to travel to the West Bank to stand in solidarity with Palestinian civilians who continue to endure ongoing repression and violence."
"We welcome the White House’s statement of condolences, but given the circumstances of Aysenur’s killing, an Israeli investigation is not adequate," the family's statement continued. "We call on President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary of State Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of a U.S. citizen and to ensure full accountability for the guilty parties."
The UW president said Eygi was a psychology peer mentor who welcomed new students to the department.
In addition to the statement from Cauce, which is in full below, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) also issued statements.
Jayapal called Eygi's death "a terrible proof point in this senseless war of rising tensions in the region."
Murray called on Israeli leadership to "put an end to the illegal settler-driven violence" in the West Bank.
Eygi was also a Turkish citizen, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said, adding that the country would exert “all effort to ensure that those who killed our citizen is brought to justice.”
The Israeli military said it was looking into reports that troops had killed a foreign national while firing at an “instigator of violent activity” in the area of the protest.
Elsewhere in the territory, Israeli forces appeared to have withdrawn from three refugee camps after a more-than-weeklong military operation that left dozens dead and a trail of destruction. Israel says the large-scale raids in the territory were aimed at dismantling militant groups and preventing attacks. Palestinians fear a widening of the war in Gaza.
The United Nations says the humanitarian situation in Gaza is “beyond catastrophic,” with more than 1 million Palestinians not receiving any food rations in August and a 35% drop in people getting daily cooked meals. Health workers resumed vaccinating children against polio in the southern Gaza Strip early Friday for the second phase of a massive immunization campaign.
The war began after Hamas launched a wide-scale attack into Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Israel's campaign in response has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and fighters in its toll.
Statement from UW President Cauce:
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.
Statement from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07):
“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.”
Statement from Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA):
“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.”