Jayapal, Murray Among Lawmakers Requesting Answers from State Department on Death of U.S.-Turkish Citizen Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, Fatally Shot by an Israeli Soldier in the West Bank
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07) and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) joined a bicameral coalition of Members including Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Representatives Jim McGovern (D, MA-02), Sara Jacobs (D, CA-51), and Joaquin Castro (D, TX-20) in requesting answers from the Department of State on the fatal shooting of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a United States-Turkish citizen who was killed by an Israeli soldier in the West Bank in September 2024. In their letter sent yesterday, the lawmakers highlight that while the Israel Defense Forces is investigating the shooting, which also injured a 17-year-old boy, their preliminary report differs significantly from several eyewitness statements about the incident.
“We are not aware of any evidence that Ayşenur, the teenage boy, or anyone else in her proximity posed any threat to the soldier who shot her, or to anyone else,” wrote the lawmakers. “We understand the Israel Defense Forces is investigating this shooting, but a preliminary report released on September 10, 2024, which was reportedly based entirely on information provided by Israel Defense Forces soldiers, asserted that Ayşenur was hit ‘indirectly and unintentionally by Israel Defense Forces fire, which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot.’”
“Detailed statements of international, Israeli, and Palestinian eyewitnesses, as well as a Washington Post inquiry that included interviewing 13 eyewitnesses and reviewing more than 50 videos and photographs, describe a significantly different sequence of events, which occurred far from the illegal Evyatar outpost,” continued the lawmakers.
In their letter, the lawmakers requested answers from the Department of State on the following:
- What evidence, if any, is the Administration currently aware of that Ayşenur posed a threat to the soldier, or to anyone else, when the soldier fired the shots?
- What evidence, if any, is the Administration currently aware of that the soldier who shot her was not aiming at her?
- What evidence, if any, is the Administration currently aware of that the teenage boy who was injured posed a threat to the soldier, or to anyone else, when the soldier fired the shots?
- What IDF unit was the soldier assigned to?
- Who was the “key instigator” and where was he (or she) located when the soldier fired the shots?
- What evidence, if any, is the Administration currently aware of that the “key instigator” posed a threat to the soldier, or to anyone else, when the soldier fired the shots?
- Have you requested the Department of Justice to investigate Ayşenur’s case? If not, why not? If so, is an investigation underway?
Read the full text of the letter HERE.