Israel says 'highly likely' IDF forces killed American activist
The Israeli military has said American-Turkish activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was killed during a protest in the West Bank on September 6, was likely shot 'indirectly and unintentionally' by soldiers.
Israel said its inquiry into Ms Eygi's killing 'found that it is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by (Israeli army) fire which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot' and expressed its 'deepest regret'.
A criminal investigation has also been launched by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).
Ms Eygi's family in the US released a statement saying "we are deeply offended by the suggestion that her killing by a trained sniper was in any way unintentional. The disregard shown for human life in the inquiry is appalling."
The 26-year-old was a volunteer with the activist group International Solidarity Movement.
She had been taking part in a demonstration against settlements in the West Bank when clashes reportedly broke out between the Israeli military and Palestinian demonstrators.
Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli protestor witnessed the shooting. He said it occurred about half an hour after the clashes had subsided, and several hundred metres from where the demonstration took place.
The killing also drew criticism from the US government, a key ally to Israel. Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State condemned the killing, stating "no one should be shot while attending a protest" and that Israeli forces "need to make some fundamental changes in the way they operate in the West Bank."
The Palestinian Authority held a funeral procession for Ms Eygi in the West Bank on Monday.
Turkish authorities said they are working on repatriating her body to Turkey for burial in the Aegean coastal town of Didim, as per her family’s wishes.
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Israel conducted a military operation in the West Bank at the start of September for over a week, involving hundreds of troops and killing dozens of Palestinians. They claimed the majority of the dead were Palestinian militants.
The West Bank is one of two areas of land known as the Occupied Palestinian Territories - the other being Gaza.
Whilst Gaza is a strip of land in the west, bordering the Mediterranean sea, the West Bank refers to the area of territory in the east, on the west bank of the River Jordan.
In 1967, Israel occupied the whole of the West Bank after a six-day war fought against a coalition of Arab nations - including Egypt, Syria and Jordan. It has retained military control over the territory ever since, leading the international community to consider the area as occupied by Israel.
As well as being home to more than three million Palestinians, there are more than 100 Jewish settlements scattered throughout the West Bank.
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