American activist shot dead during protest in West Bank, Palestinian officials say

ITV News Correspondent Rachel Younger discusses hopes of peace in the West Bank


A 26-year-old American activist has been shot and killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials and the US say.

Doctors say Aysenur Eygi was shot in the head and died after arriving at Rafidia hospital in Nablus.

The Israeli military has admitted to firing at demonstrators, but has not said if any other gunmen were present.

Israeli officials said that its forces had "responded with fire towards a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them".

It said they are looking into "reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of the shots fired in the area".

A US State Department Spokesperson said: "We are aware of the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Eygi, today in the West Bank.

"We offer our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. We are urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death, and will have more to say as we learn more.

"We have no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens"


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Palestinian officials and the Turkish foreign ministry, the latter of which is where Eygi was born, have condemned the killing.

ITV News' US partner CNN reported that Eygi was shot during a weekly demonstration against an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Beita.

The protests happen regularly and have grown violent in the past.

A month ago, American citizen Amado Sison was shot in the leg by Israeli forces, he said, as he tried to flee tear gas and live fire.


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