US President Joe Biden expressed his shock and sadness over the killing of Turkish American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli forces in the West Bank, calling the shooting “totally unacceptable.” Eygi, 26, was protesting the expansion of Israeli settlements when she was fatally shot, according to preliminary findings.
Biden emphasized the need for a thorough investigation and full accountability from Israel to prevent such incidents in the future. However, he has not contacted Eygi’s family, drawing criticism from her partner Hamid Ali, who rejected Biden’s characterization of the shooting as an accident. Ali called for an independent investigation and communication from the White House.
Eygi, a dual Turkish-US national, had traveled to the West Bank to support Palestinian farmers. Biden pledged to address the ongoing violence in the region and hold extremists on both sides accountable. The Israeli army admitted that Eygi was unintentionally hit by their fire, adding to the complexity of the situation.