Biden supports Israel's assertion that the IDF's fatal shooting of the American activist in the West Bank was unintentional.
According to Israel, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was sadly struck by Israeli Defense Forces' fire unintentionally and indirectly on a Friday. The Biden administration is still investigating her demise at the moment.
During a press briefing on the White House South Lawn, Biden declared, "We're piecing together more facts. It appears to be an accident. The bullet bounced off the ground and then hit her accidentally, but we're sorting that out now."
American officials have lashed out at Israel over Eygi's death, which occurred during a protest. In an earlier statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to her death as "unprovoked and unjustified" and urged Israel to implement fundamental changes in its West Bank operations.
Blinken emphasized, "No person should be shot and killed for participating in a protest. No one should risk their life merely for voicing their opinions." He also mentioned that a second American citizen has been fatally shot by Israeli security forces, describing this situation as "unacceptable" and demanding change.
In a previous announcement, the IDF stated that Eygi's death occurred amid a "riot," while the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), with which Eygi had been volunteering, described the September 6 protest as peaceful.
Eygi, who hails from Turkey, was a recent graduate from the University of Washington and was volunteering for the same pro-Palestinian activist group as Rachel Corrie, an American citizen who lost her life in 2003 while attempting to halt an Israeli bulldozer from demolishing Palestinian homes in Gaza.
Since October, Israeli troops and settlers have reportedly taken the lives of nearly 700 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, as per data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah. This count does not differentiate between militants and civilians.
The Biden administration's investigation into Eygi's demise has brought politics into focus, with American officials criticizing Israel's actions during the protest. The incident has sparked conversations about accountability and potential changes in Israeli military operations.
Antony Blinken's assertion that no one should be killed for voicing their opinions in a protest is a strong political statement, underscoring the international community's concern for human rights in the region.
