A whole bunch of individuals have attended the funeral of activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a joint US-Turkish citizen who was shot useless within the occupied West Financial institution final week.
A guard of honour carried Eygi’s coffin through the funeral ceremony, which befell in her residence district of Didim, in western Turkey.
Israel has stated it was “extremely possible” the 26-year-old activist was killed by its forces throughout a protest within the West Financial institution on 6 September. Turkey says it was an intentional killing.
Eygi’s demise has infected tensions between the 2 international locations, and several other Turkish authorities officers, together with Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, attended the funeral.
Mourners carrying Palestinian and Turkish flags had been seen crowding exterior Didim’s Central Mosque as proceedings befell.
Additionally among the many mourners had been Turkish Overseas Minister Hakan Fidan, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus and chief of the opposition Republican Folks’s Occasion (CHP), Özgür Özel.
“The blood of Ayşenur Eygi is as sacred as that of each Palestinian martyred, and we’ll observe it till the tip,” Kurtulmus informed reporters, in keeping with Reuters information company.
“Because the Turkish nation, we’re absolutely dedicated. As a state, we’re absolutely dedicated.”
Prayers had been held for Eygi in cities throughout Turkey, together with Istanbul and the capital Ankara.
Her mom, Rabia Birden, stated on Friday: “The one factor I ask of our state is to hunt justice for my daughter,” in keeping with Anadolu information company.
The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) had beforehand stated it was “extremely possible” Eygi was “hit not directly and unintentionally” by IDF fireplace, which was not “aimed toward her, however aimed on the key instigator of the riot.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated the killing was “unprovoked and unjustified”.
“No-one needs to be shot and killed for attending a protest, no-one ought to need to put their life in danger only for freely expressing their views,” Blinken informed reporters shortly after the IDF launched its assertion.
Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated for the reason that Israel-Gaza conflict started in October 2023.
Turkey suspended all imports and exports from Israel in Could and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has beforehand labelled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the “the butcher of Gaza”.
In response to the suspension of commerce, Israel’s international minister Israel Katz accused Mr Erdogan of performing like a “dictator”.
