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Thousands Mourn Turkish-American Activist Aysenur Eygi in Didim Following Her Killing by Israeli Troops
A large crowd gathers in Didim to honor Turkish-American activist Aysenur Eygi, killed by Israeli troops during a West Bank protest against illegal settlements
ND
by News Desk
2024-09-14
Thousands Mourn Turkish-American Activist Aysenur Eygi in Didim Following Her Killing by Israeli Troops

Turkey, thousands of mourners have gathered to pay tribute to Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American activist who was killed by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank. Eygi was fatally shot in the head on September 6 while participating in a demonstration against illegal Israeli settlements.

 

The funeral took place in Eygi's hometown of Didim, where family, friends, and supporters came together to bid farewell. Her body, wrapped in the Turkish flag, was carried by uniformed officers to its final resting place. A picture of Eygi was displayed near her coffin during the service at the local mosque.

 

Reporting from Didim, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar described the scene, noting the disbelief and grief of Eygi’s family as they received visitors from Turkey, the United States, and around the world. The body was flown to Didim after a martyrs’ ceremony at Istanbul airport on Friday.

 

Eygi’s family chose Didim as her burial site to honor her connection to the town where her grandfather lives and her grandmother is laid to rest. Eygi’s mother, Rabia Birden, has urged Turkish officials to seek justice, stating, “The only thing I ask of our state is to seek justice for my daughter.”

 

Turkey’s Parliament Speaker, Numan Kurtulmus, echoed this sentiment, holding Israel and its supporters responsible for Eygi’s death. The Turkish government has promised to ensure that Eygi’s death is not left unpunished and has requested an independent inquiry from the United Nations.

 

US President Joe Biden has called for Israel to provide “full accountability” for the killing, while the Israeli military claims Eygi was unintentionally hit during their response to a “violent riot” in Beita, near Nablus. However, evidence and witness accounts suggest otherwise. An Italian activist who accompanied Eygi in the ambulance reported that the shooting appeared deliberate.

 

Eygi, a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), had been active in protesting against Israel’s occupation and had arrived in the West Bank shortly before her death. The UN confirmed that she was participating in a “peaceful anti-settlement protest” when she was killed.

 

Eygi’s family has called for an independent inquiry by the US, arguing that an Israeli investigation would be inadequate. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely as calls for justice grow.
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Turkey

westbank

Activism

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