A Washington Post investigation has found that Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American activist, was shot and killed by Israeli military fire over half an hour after the unrest in the Palestinian village of Beita near Nablus had subsided.
The report, published between Wednesday and Thursday, contradicts earlier statements from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF had previously claimed Eygi was unintentionally hit by fire aimed at a "key instigator" of the violent riot, where protesters burned tires and threw rocks at soldiers.
The IDF's preliminary investigation stated the incident occurred during confrontations with dozens of rioters at the Beita intersection. The military expressed regret over the civilian casualty and noted the findings would be submitted to the military prosecutor once the investigation is completed. The IDF has also requested an autopsy of Eygi's body.
However, the Washington Post's investigation, based on testimonies from 13 eyewitnesses and analysis of over 50 videos and photos, found that Eygi was killed over 200 yards from Israeli forces and more than 20 minutes after the protests had moved away.
The report also noted that a Palestinian teenager standing nearby was injured by Israeli fire, though the IDF has not confirmed whether he was a target. Eygi was volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement at the time of the incident.
