Witness statements added to case file in killing of Turkish-American activist

By Cemil Murat Budak and Abdullah Sarica

Witness accounts and evidence have been added to Türkiye’s investigation into the killing of Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot last month by Israeli forces during a peaceful demonstration in the occupied West Bank.

Türkiye’s Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau, classifying the incident as a "crime against humanity," has filed charges of "premeditated murder" against those involved in the shooting.

Eyewitness statements, photos, video footage, and an autopsy report from Palestinian judicial authorities have been included in the case file. The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is currently reviewing these materials as it seeks to identify those responsible for ordering and executing the shooting that led to Eygi’s death.

According to the investigation, the events unfolded during a peaceful demonstration and march in Beita, located in the Nablus district of the West Bank. The gathering included international solidarity activists and participants from multiple countries, including Eygi.

After Friday prayers, Israeli soldiers reportedly threw tear gas into the crowd without provocation and occupied a Palestinian citizen’s house nearby. Shortly after, Eygi was struck by gunfire from Israeli soldiers stationed on the rooftop, resulting in fatal injuries.

- 'Directly targeted with intent to kill'

Witness Alex Edward Harrison Chabbott, an American citizen, said Israeli soldiers fired tear gas as soon as the march began, forcing protesters to seek cover.

Chabbott said he heard two gunshots from the rooftop of an occupied Palestinian home, with the second hitting Eygi, adding she was “directly targeted with intent to kill.”

British activist Dominic Robin Sedol recounted a similar statement, saying soldiers approached at 1 pm local time and began firing tear gas.

Sedol said that while hiding among olive trees, he heard at least two gunshots, and then saw Eygi on the ground.

Israeli soldiers fired with “the intent to kill Ayse directly,” he said.

Another witness Australian Helen Maria O'Sullivan added that they came to Beita to observe and document, maintaining a peaceful presence.

O'Sullivan said that while hiding, she heard people say 'live bullets' in English and Aysenur was within the soldiers' line of sight when the second gunshot rang out. “There was no one else armed in the area.”

Jonathan Polak Pasterbnak, an Israeli citizen who attended the march with Eygi, confirmed that soldiers fired live ammunition.

After the second shot, he ran over and saw Aysenur lying on the ground, with severe bleeding from her head, Pasterbnak said.

“I looked at the soldiers on the roof of the house and saw that the soldiers were still there, they had directly targeted Aysenur.”

-The killing of activist Aysenur Eygi by Israeli soldiers

Israeli soldiers opened fire on demonstrators during a peaceful protest in the occupied West Bank. Eygi, a dual citizen of the US and Türkiye, who was attending the protest in solidarity with Palestinians, was shot in the head and critically injured.

She was taken to a Palestinian hospital where she died on Sept. 6. Her funeral took place on Sept. 14 in Didim, a district in Aydin, Türkiye.

Eygi was a human rights activist and a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement, which supports Palestinians using peaceful and civil methods against Israel’s occupation. ​​​​​​​

Rachel Corrie, a US citizen and member of the same movement, was also killed by Israeli forces in 2003 when she was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer.