Lots of of individuals have attended the funeral of activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a joint US-Turkish citizen who was shot lifeless within the occupied West Financial institution final week.
A guard of honour carried Eygi’s coffin throughout the funeral ceremony, which happened in her dwelling district of Didim, in western Turkey.
Israel has mentioned it was “extremely doubtless” 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 nations, and several other Turkish authorities officers, together with Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, attended the funeral.
Mourners carrying Palestinian and Turkish flags have been seen crowding exterior Didim’s Central Mosque as proceedings happened.
Additionally among the many mourners have been Turkish Overseas Minister Hakan Fidan, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus and chief of the opposition Republican Folks’s Celebration (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 line with Reuters information company.
“Because the Turkish nation, we’re totally dedicated. As a state, we’re totally dedicated.”
Prayers have been held for Eygi in cities throughout Turkey, together with Istanbul and the capital Ankara.
Her mom, Rabia Birden, mentioned on Friday: “The one factor I ask of our state is to hunt justice for my daughter,” in line with Anadolu information company.
The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) had beforehand mentioned it was “highly likely” Eygi was “hit not directly and unintentionally” by IDF hearth, which was not “aimed toward her, however aimed on the key instigator of the riot.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned the killing was “unprovoked and unjustified”.
“No-one must be shot and killed for attending a protest, no-one ought to must 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 warfare started in October 2023.
Turkey suspended all imports and exports from Israel in Might 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 overseas minister Israel Katz accused Mr Erdogan of appearing like a “dictator”.
