White House is ‘deeply disturbed’ by killing of US woman in West Bank, seeks Israeli investigation

WASHINGTON: The White House says it is “deeply disturbed” by the killing of a US woman in the West Bank, during a pro-Palestinian demonstration. 

26-year-old Aysenur Egzi Eygi was shot in the head and died after arriving at the hospital. 

Witnesses and Palestinian media reported that the woman was shot by Israeli troops while attending a pro-Palestinian demonstration against settlement expansion in the northern West Bank.

The Israeli military didn’t immediately comment on the shooting.

Dr. Fouad Naffa, the head of the hospital, also confirmed the death of an American citizen.

The White House is now seeking an Israeli investigation into the killing. 

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett wrote in a statement, “We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Egzi Eygi, today in the West Bank and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones. We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.”

The Israel Defense Forces issued a statement, saying that its forces had been in the area next to Beita at the time.

According to the statement the IDF “responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them”.

The IDF said the details of the incident and the circumstances are now “under review”.