Washington is pressing Tel Aviv to provide a “thorough answer” and a swift conclusion to an investigation into the killing of Turkish American activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi in the West Bank last month, according to State Department spokesperson Matt Miller.
Miller on Wednesday said U.S. officials have engaged with Israeli authorities "in recent days" about the progress of the investigation.
"We understand that it is still ongoing, and we're continuing to press for a conclusion of that investigation that provides a thorough answer, and as soon as we have an answer from the government of Israel, you will certainly hear from us about what we think about it," Miller told Anadolu Agency (AA) at a news conference.
Miller emphasized that although the U.S. is awaiting the outcome of the investigation, it does not prevent Washington from taking action if deemed necessary.
"In no way does waiting for the outcome of this ongoing criminal investigation preclude any action by the U.S. government. If we think such action is appropriate, and that includes further reviews on behalf of the State Department in the use of weapons, it includes any other types of reviews by our government or by any other," he said when asked if the State Department can investigate whether Israel killed Eygi with U.S.-supplied weapons.
He noted that other types of reviews by U.S. agencies remain on the table, underscoring that, "We are as impatient for answers about what happened as anyone."
"We take very seriously the death of an American citizen under circumstances in which she never should have been killed, and we were pressing to get an answer, but an answer that's thorough as soon as one is available," he said.
Eygi, 26, was killed by Israeli forces on Sept. 6 during a peaceful protest against illegal Israeli settlements near Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
A preliminary investigation by Israel found that Eygi was "highly likely" hit "indirectly and unintentionally" by Israeli fire that was targeting a "main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks" during the protest.
Video evidence and witness accounts, however, have contradicted Israel's version of events, with many saying she was directly hit by an Israeli sniper.
A report by The Washington Post also revealed that Eygi was shot more than 30 minutes after the peak of confrontations in Beita and about 20 minutes after protesters had moved over 200 yards (180 meters) down the main road, away from Israeli forces.
Turkish authorities are also investigating Eygi's killing. A post-mortem examination of Eygi in Ankara also said she was killed by a long-distance shot.
Four eyewitnesses, who were fellow activists of Eygi, gave testimonies in the investigation carried out by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the capital of Ankara over the weekend.
The witnesses testified to spotting Israeli snipers positioned on the roofs surrounding the protest and seeing Eygi fall down as she was shot, with at least two of them expressing firm opinion that she was deliberately targeted by Israeli troops.
Eygi's family says she was killed in a targeted attack and is calling on the U.S. government to launch an independent investigation into her killing.
Ankara said it would safeguard Eygi’s rights and deliver a report and evidence to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which would also be presented to the ongoing trial of Israeli perpetrators of crimes in Gaza at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
