US vows to act 'as necessary' regarding killing of Turkish-American activist

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday vowed to act "as necessary" when the US has more information regarding the killing of Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi in the occupied West Bank.

"We deplore this tragic loss," Blinken said during a press conference in the Dominican Republic. "Now, most important thing to do is to gather the facts, and that's exactly what we're in the process of doing."

"As you heard me say many times before, I have no higher priority than the safety and protection of American citizens around the world, wherever they are... When we have more info, we will share it, make it available and, as necessary, we'll act on it," he said.

Blinken extended his "deepest condolences" to Eygi's family, adding that the US is "intensely focused" on getting the facts, and any actions that will be driven by the facts.

"So first things first, let's find out exactly what happened, and we will draw the necessary conclusions, consequences from that," he added.

The 26-year-old Eygi, who is dual Turkish-American national, was shot dead by Israeli forces on Friday during a protest against illegal Israeli settlements in the town of Beita in the Nablus district of the occupied West Bank, according to eyewitnesses.

Eygi was born in the Turkish city of Antalya in 1998.

Fouad Nafaa, the director of the Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, told Anadolu Eygi arrived at the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head. She succumbed to her injuries despite attempts by medical teams to revive her, according to Nafaa.

Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli soldiers opened live fire on a group of Palestinians participating in a demonstration condemning the illegal settlements on Mount Sbeih in Beita, which lies south of the city of Nablus.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa confirmed that the victim was an American citizen and a volunteer with the Fazaa campaign, an initiative aimed at supporting and protecting Palestinian farmers from ongoing violations by illegal Israeli settlers and the military.

Residents of Beita hold weekly protests after Friday prayers to oppose the illegal Israeli settlement of Avitar, which sits on the peak of Mount Sbeih. The community demands the removal of the settlement, which they view as a violation of their land rights.