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The Global Sumud Flotilla and Türkiye on Saturday marked the first anniversary of the death of Turkish American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was killed by Israeli forces during a protest in the occupied West Bank in 2024.
Eygi, 26, was shot and killed on Sept. 6, 2024, during a demonstration against illegal settlements near Nablus.
Video footage and witness testimony indicated she was deliberately targeted by an Israeli sniper, though the Israeli military’s preliminary report claimed she was “highly likely” struck “indirectly and unintentionally” as its forces responded to protesters allegedly throwing rocks.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, an international humanitarian initiative launched in July 2025, paid tribute to Eygi in a social media post.
“Aysenur and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and allies have been killed by the Israeli government and occupation over the decades, and they’ve done so with total impunity,” the flotilla said.
It described its voyage to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza as sailing “on behalf of those massacred while standing for humanity and just peace” and framed it as “a statement against genocide.”
“We understand that our safety and freedom as humanity are bound to that of Palestine, and we choose action, just as Aysenur did,” the flotilla added.
“As we sail for Palestine, she is with us.”
The flotilla consists of over 50 vessels that departed from ports including Barcelona, with the stated mission of delivering food, medicine, and other supplies to Gaza, where famine conditions have been declared.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement commemorating Eygi on the first anniversary of her death.
“We commemorate our citizen Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who lost her life after being targeted by Israeli forces in the West Bank on Sept. 6, 2024, with mercy and respect on the anniversary of her death,” the ministry said on the Turkish platform NSosyal.
Calling the attack “a clear violation of international law and human rights,” the ministry added, “Türkiye will continue its efforts with determination to ensure that this heinous crime against Aysenur’s life does not go unpunished.”
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