Following Seattle woman's killing in West Bank, local officials respond

Seattle-area officials are responding to the death of a local woman, reportedly at the hands of Israeli soldiers in the West Bank Friday.

RELATED: Israeli soldiers fatally shot an American woman at a West Bank protest, witnesses say

Aysenur Eygi, 26, was a United States and Turkish citizen who lived in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington in June 2024. According to the Associated Press, she was participating in a weekly demonstration protesting the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Witnesses said the shooting happened shortly after a communal prayer on a hillside outside the town of Beita, near the settlement of Evyatar. Israeli soldiers reportedly surrounded the prayer and tensions rose. Some Palestinians threw stones, and soldiers fired tear gas and rifles.

A spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that Turkey will make an “effort to ensure that those who killed our citizen [are] brought to justice.”

According to University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce, Aysenur Eygi was a peer mentor in psychology at the university.

"This morning brought the awful news that recent UW graduate Aysenur Eygi was reportedly killed by Israeli troops in the West Bank. My heart goes out to Aysenur’s family, friends and loved ones. Aysenur was a peer mentor in psychology who helped welcome new students to the department and provided a positive influence in their lives. This is the second time over the past year that violence in the region has taken the life of a member of our UW community and I again join with our government and so many who are working and calling for a ceasefire and resolution to the crisis."

The other fatality in the UW community was 32-year-old Hayim Katsman, who was killed in Israel during Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023.

Washington's chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called on the Biden administration Friday to hold Israel accountable for Eygi's death at the hands of the Israel Defense Forces.

“For the past 11 months, we have seen how the IDF has continuously shown an utter disdain for innocent life, whether in Gaza or in the West Bank,” CAIR-WA Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi said in a statement. “We call on the Biden Administration to hold accountable the killers of Aysenur Eygi and bring them to justice.”

“In our lifetimes, we have seen the IDF kill Americans such as Rachel Corrie, Shireen Abu Akleh, and Furkan Dogan, while our government has barely acknowledged their murders. We must continue to stand for justice for Aysenur and all those who have been killed before her.”

Congressmember Pramila Jayapal, who represents Washington's 7th Congressional District, covering Seattle, said: “My heart goes out to Aysenur’s family, friends, and loved ones. This is a terrible tragedy, and I extend my condolences to all those in mourning today. My office is actively working to gather more information on the events that led to her death.

“I am very troubled by the reports that she was killed by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. The Netanyahu government has done nothing to stop settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank, often encouraged by right-wing ministers of the Netanyahu government. The killing of an American citizen is a terrible proof point in this senseless war of rising tensions in the region.”

Washington Senator Patty Murray issued the following statement.

“I am heartbroken and angry about the killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, an American citizen, in the West Bank today, who was reportedly peacefully protesting against illegal settlement activity. The government of Israel must deliver answers immediately and hold the perpetrators of this killing accountable. I will be in close touch with the Biden administration to press the Israeli government for full transparency and accountability. My heart is with Aysenur’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.

“Moreover, Israel must take swift action to put an end to the illegal settler-driven violence that has escalated to a dangerous level in the West Bank. Extremist settler violence in the West Bank, and the associated, ongoing expansion of illegal settlements and outposts, must come to an end — it is important for Israel’s own security and the stability of the entire region.”

Senator Maria Cantwell said she is communicating with federal officials to get more information about Eygi's death.

"The death of Aysenur Eygi is a tragedy. My office has been in contact with the State Department and our U.S. Embassy in Israel regarding her death. I will do whatever I can to help her family at this difficult time. Our hearts and prayers are with her family and her many friends in the greater Seattle area."