An autopsy performed in Turkey has confirmed that US-Turkish activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi died from a gunshot wound to the head after Israeli forces opened fire during a protest in the occupied West Bank earlier this month, the Birgün daily reported on Wednesday.
Medical and forensic experts in western İzmir province determined that Eygi, 26, died from a “fracture of the skull bones due to gunshot wounds, bleeding between the brain membranes, and destruction of brain tissue,” according to a copy of the report obtained by The National news website.
The autopsy, conducted on Friday and signed by İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor Fahri Mutlu Tosun and 10 other officials, corroborates findings from an earlier examination by Palestinian doctors conducted on the day of her death.
Eygi was shot on September 6 while attending a peaceful protest in the West Bank village of Beita. She was volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian organization that supports local communities through nonviolent means.
The Turkish report noted a 1.5-centimeter wound on the rear left side of her skull, identified as a gunshot wound. No other signs of trauma were found on her body. Six metal fragments were removed and handed over to the public prosecutor as evidence.
An initial Israeli inquiry stated it was “highly likely” that Eygi was shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by its forces after they opened fire on protesters accused of causing a riot. The Turkish autopsy did not assign blame for the shooting but emphasized that the fatal wound was caused by a gunshot from a distance.
Eygi’s body was flown to Turkey and arrived at a morgue in Izmir under police escort. She was buried on Saturday in her family’s hometown of Didim in Aydın province. Senior Turkish officials — including the ministers of interior, justice, foreign affairs and family and social services — attended the funeral, where mourners also remembered the thousands of Palestinians killed in recent months.
Eygi had recently graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle and was known for her activism and commitment to social justice issues. She had visited her grandfather in Didim shortly before traveling to Jordan and crossing into the West Bank.
Her family and friends are calling for firm action from the US government regarding her death. At a press briefing on Monday, a US State Department representative said that findings from Israel’s initial inquiry do not exonerate Israeli security forces. The US government indicated it would consider further measures if not satisfied with the results of a full Israeli investigation.
The incident occurs amid escalating violence in the occupied West Bank. According to the United Nations, nearly 700 Palestinians have been killed there since October 7, and attacks on Palestinian communities by Israeli settlers have increased. The UN has recorded approximately 1,350 attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians since that date, displacing more than 1,600 people.
The Turkish autopsy report stated that further tests would be conducted to determine more details about the cause of death. The lack of specific information about the shooter or the type of ammunition used has left many questions unanswered.
Eygi’s death has sparked outrage and calls for accountability. Human rights organizations are urging an independent investigation to ensure that justice is served.