NEW YORK
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish American activist, was shot and killed by Israeli forces while protesting Friday in the West Bank.
Eygi, 26, had traveled to the region to support Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation, according to reports from the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
Anadolu compiled information about Eygi from social media accounts and other open sources.
Eygi, born in Antalya, Türkiye, in 1998, pursued a double major in psychology and Middle Eastern languages and cultures at the University of Washington, Seattle.
She recently graduated in June and was known for her commitment to activism and community service.
‘I’m driven by a passion for making a positive impact’
Eygi’s online profiles reflect a passion for making a positive effect in various fields, from mentoring students to providing rehabilitative support for children with autism, in line with her diverse professional experience.
“I have a strong foundation in mentoring, behavioral therapy, and marketing, with a deep commitment to community service,” Eygi wrote in describing herself in her LinkedIn profile.
“My volunteer work has allowed me to make an impact both locally and internationally … to offering rehabilitative support in under-resourced communities,” she wrote. “I’m driven by a passion for making a positive impact.”
Eygi joined ISM, a Palestinian-led organization advocating non-violent resistance against Israeli occupation, as a volunteer observer.
On Sept. 3, she arrived in the town of Beita, near Nablus in the West Bank, to participate in peaceful protests.
Three days later, during a demonstration, she was deliberately targeted and killed by an Israeli sniper standing on a nearby rooftop, according to ISM reports.
‘One of the sweetest, gentlest souls’
“I don’t know how to say this, there is no easy way. I wish I could say something meaningful, but I can’t when I’m sobbing,” a fellow ISM volunteer, who requested anonymity, told the group about Eygi. “My friend, comrade and traveling partner to Palestine has just been shot in the head and killed by Israeli occupation forces. May she rest in peace. She is now one of the many martyrs in this struggle.”
Lubna Alzaroo, remembered her friend Eygi, who is also known as Aysha, on Facebook. “I woke up this morning to the news that she was killed in Beita, Nablus by Israeli soldiers while standing in solidarity with Palestinian farmers,” Alzaroo wrote along with Eygi’s photos. “Aysha was one of the sweetest, gentlest souls I’ve met,” she added.
Witnesses said Eygi was standing away from the main protest area when she was deliberately targeted.
Despite being rushed to a Palestinian hospital, medical efforts to save her were unsuccessful.
