Witnesses recount targeted killing of Turkish activist in West Bank

ANKARA

Four eyewitnesses have testified in Türkiye’s investigation into the killing of Turkish-American activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank in September, stating that she was directly and deliberately targeted.

Eygi was fatally shot in the head on Sept. 6 during protests against the Israeli occupation in the city of Nablus. The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation into Eygi’s death under the charge of "deliberate killing,” citing "crimes against humanity." Türkiye stated that the case would subsequently be submitted to the United Nations.

"Snipers were positioned on the rooftop of a house, observing us. As we tried to flee after the first shot, I heard the second shot, and Ayşenur was two meters to my left," said American witness Alex Edward Harrison Chabbott.

"Ayşenur fell to the ground, shot from behind while running with us. From what I observed, Ayşenur was deliberately targeted with the intent to kill."

British witness Dominic Robin Sedol also recounted that Israeli soldiers initially fired tear gas before the activist group noticed snipers positioned on a nearby rooftop.

"We south cover among the olive trees with the other activists. Ayşe was also taking shelter among the trees when we heard at least two gunshots. The occupying soldiers were on the rooftop, firing directly at us," Sedol stated.

Another witness Helen Maria O'Sullivan testified that Israeli soldiers fired real bullets at the activists.

Australian woman described the protest as peaceful and calm on the day of the incident, noting, "We were not engaging in any violent actions. We were there solely to document and observe."

Israeli witness Jonathan Polak Pasterbnak confirmed that the soldiers used both tear gas and live rounds.

"I’ve been attending these marches for about 20 years, and I can distinguish between the sounds of rubber and live bullets. After the second shot, I heard someone call my name, asking for help. They were beside Ayşenur, so I ran over."

"I saw Ayşenur lying on the ground with one or two women standing in solidarity around her. As I approached, I noticed heavy bleeding from the left side of her head. I looked up at the soldiers on the rooftop and saw that they were still there, having directly targeted Ayşenur,” Pasterbnak expressed.

In a statement on Eygi's death, the Israeli military said an inquiry had "found that it is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by IDF [Israeli army] fire."

It added that the fire "was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot.”

Türkiye’s investigation dossier also includes photographs and video footage of the incident, witness statements, a site sketch and Eygi's autopsy report. The prosecutor's office, assessing the submitted documents, continues to work on identifying the individuals who ordered and executed the shooting.

Eygi's death echoed in both Turkish and international media, with numerous calls for an international investigation into the incident. Her body was brought to Türkiye from a hospital in the West Bank and was laid to rest in the country’s western province of Aydın on Sept. 14.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas earlier announced that they plan to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court regarding the killing.