FACTBOX - 14 most prominent foreign activists killed by Israel over last 2 decades

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - For many years, the Palestinian cause, particularly in Gaza, has garnered significant global attention, both in terms of human rights and media coverage.

This attention has prompted many activists and supporter groups from various countries to travel to Gaza to offer assistance and witness the reality on the ground firsthand.

One of the peak periods of international solidarity came during the Second Intifada, which began in 2000, followed by numerous Israeli violations, most notably the blockade imposed on Gaza in 2006 followed by the latest Israeli assault on the enclave, which began on Oct. 7.

Anadolu compiled a list of the most prominent 14 activists who were killed by the Israeli army over the past 20 years.

1. American activist Rachel Corrie - March 16, 2003

Rachel Corrie, an American activist, was killed by Israeli forces on March 16, 2003, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

At the time, she was trying to block an Israeli military bulldozer from demolishing the homes of innocent civilians. Her bright orange vest, worn to identify herself as a civilian, did not save her.

Corrie’s death sparked widespread international solidarity. In 2005, British director Alan Rickman and journalist Katharine Viner adapted Corrie’s writings and diaries into a play, which premiered two years after her death.

1. Journalist, activist James Henry Miller - May 2, 2003

Welsh journalist and activist James Henry Miller was killed by the Israeli military in Gaza on May 2, 2003, while filming a documentary for the BBC.

1. British peace activist Tom Hurndall - Jan. 13, 2004

British peace activist Tom Hurndall was shot in the head by an Israeli sniper on Jan. 13, 2004, while he was shielding a small Palestinian child from gunfire in Rafah.

His mother later documented his life and tragic death in a biography titled The Stars' Challenge: Defy the Stars: The Life and Death of Tom Hurndall, which was published in 2007.

1. 10 killed in attack on Turkish Solidarity Ship Mavi Marmara - May 31, 2010

One of the most notable attacks against international activists was the Israeli naval assault on the Turkish vessel “Mavi Marmara” on May 31, 2010, near the coast of Gaza. The attack resulted in 10 deaths, with more than 56 others injured.

The ship was carrying around 750 human rights and political activists from 37 countries, predominantly from Türkiye. It was loaded with humanitarian aid and medicines, which the activists believed could alleviate some of the suffering of the people in Gaza.

1. Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi - Sep. 6, 2024

Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was shot dead by Israeli forces on Sep. 6, 2024 during a protest against illegal Israeli settlements in the town of Beita in the Nablus district of the occupied West Bank.

Eygi, who was born in the Turkish city of Antalya in 1998, succumbed to her injuries despite attempts by medical teams to revive her.

Her death comes as Israel continued its devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 40,900 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 94,400 others since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7 last year.

The Israeli army is also engaged in daily exchanges of cross-border attacks with the Lebanese group Hezbollah.