Turkey to issue international arrest warrants over Israel's murder of citizen in Palestine

Reuters & Duvar English

Turkey has opened an investigation into the death of a Turkish-American activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi who have been shot by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank and will request international arrest warrants, Ankara said on Sept. 12.

The body of the 26-year-old woman will arrive in Turkey on Sept. 13, the Foreign Ministry said.

Israel has taken responsibility for the death of Eygi, who was killed  on Sept. 7 while taking part in a protest against expansion of occupatiom in the West Bank.

The Foreign Ministry said she "was deliberately targeted and killed by Israeli soldiers during a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians."

"We will make every effort to ensure that this crime does not go unpunished," it said.

Israel has said it was highly likely its troops had fired the shot that killed her but that her death was "unintentional."

A Turkish foreign ministry source said it was anticipated that Eygi's body would be flown from Tel Aviv to Baku on Sept. 12 night, and on to Istanbul on Sept. 13 morning. She was expected to buried in the western Turkish province Aydın's Didim district, on the Aegean coast.

Separately, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said the Ankara chief prosecutor's office is investigating "those responsible for the martyrdom and murder of our sister Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi."

He told reporters that Turkey had evidence regarding the killing and would make international arrest requests.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris said on Sept. 11 her killing was unacceptable and Israel must do more to make sure such an event never happens again.