The body of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, returned to Turkey to be buried in Didim, where she was born.
The Turkish-American activist was killed by Israeli troops last Friday while protesting against illegal Israeli settlements.
Israel claims Aysenur was killed accidentally during a protest in Beita, near Nablus in the occupied West Bank, but mounting evidence contradicts this claim, with witnesses saying Israeli soldiers deliberately killed her.
The Israeli military said after a brief investigation that it was “highly likely that she was hit” by its soldiers, adding that it was “indirectly and unintentionally.”
Who was Aysenur?
Aysenur was a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a group that has been protesting Israel’s occupation of Palestine and punitive treatment of Palestinians for years.
She had arrived in the occupied West Bank just days before her death, to undergo training with other volunteers before being assigned to a hilltop protest outside Beita, along with Palestinian, Israeli and other international activists.
Her friends describe Aysenur as a warm and caring young woman who has big plans for her future, including studying law. From a young age, her friends agree that protesting for the rights of people whose rights are being violated is very important to her.
What happened that day?
The group performed communal prayers on Friday, September 6. Israeli soldiers surrounded them as they prayed and shortly after they finished, Israeli soldiers began shooting and using tear gas as protesters threw stones at them.
Aysenur and the other volunteers retreated about 200 meters (656 feet) down the hill, some placing obstacles behind them, such as rocks and a dumpster, to slow any pursuit, before hiding behind a tree to escape the violence.
As the activists took cover, Israeli soldiers regrouped, with photographs showing four of them positioning themselves on top of resident Ali Maali’s home, overlooking where the protesters were located.
After about 20 minutes, as Israeli activist Jonathan Pollak recalled, two shots rang out.
Aysenur was found face down on the ground. She had been shot.
An unnamed Palestinian boy, aged approximately 17, was approximately 18 metres from Aysenur and was injured by the other shot, which ricocheted and hit him in the thigh.
“I found her lying on the ground… bleeding from the head,” Pollak said, Aysenur’s blood still visible on his hand.
A 1:49 p.m. video shows Aysenur surrounded by paramedics before being taken into an ambulance. Doctors pronounced her dead shortly after.
What did the witnesses say?
None of the activists interviewed by Tel Aviv Tribune or any of the newspapers reporting Aysenur’s killing reported any rioting.
Nor is the violence of the protesters visible in the many images filmed during the preparations for Aysenur’s murder.
A statement later released by the ISM directly contradicts Israeli claims of physical unrest prior to Aysenur’s killing, with one volunteer, Mariam Dag – a pseudonym – stating: “We were peacefully protesting alongside Palestinians against the colonization of their land and the illegal settlement of Evyatar.
“The situation worsened when the Israeli army started firing tear gas and live ammunition, forcing us to retreat.”
In comments to Tel Aviv Tribune, Italian activist Mariam – another pseudonym – described how she was about 10 to 20 metres (30 to 60 feet) away and slightly in front of Aysenur at the time of the shooting.
“We were more than 200 meters below the army, which was positioned on the street and on a roof. Clearly visible,” she said.
“It was a deliberate shot to kill her, in the head. This is the fate that many Palestinians suffer,” she said.
What did Israel say?
Four days after Aysenur’s death, the Israeli army claimed she was killed during an operation by its soldiers to quell a riot.
According to its statement, the army considered that it was “highly probable that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally” by Israeli fire “which was not directed at her, but at the main instigator of the riot.”
“The incident took place during a violent riot in which dozens of Palestinian suspects burned tires and threw stones at security forces at the Beita junction.”
Despite requests from the Washington Post, the Israeli military has yet to provide evidence to support its claims.
What did the Turkish government say?
Turkey has launched an investigation into Aysenur’s killing and said it would seek international arrest warrants for those responsible.
In its statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Aysenur was “deliberately targeted and killed by Israeli soldiers during a peaceful protest in solidarity with the Palestinians.”
“We will do everything possible to ensure that this crime does not go unpunished.”
What did the US government say?
The US government said it was “deeply disturbed” by the killing of its citizen.
However, the US decided not to launch its own investigation – as Aysenur’s parents requested – and asked Israel to investigate the shooting of its own soldier itself.
