In a somber ceremony, the body of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, an American-Turkish activist who was killed by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank, has been laid to rest in her family's hometown in southwestern Turkey. The 26-year-old activist's coffin, draped in the Turkish flag, arrived in Turkey on Friday and was carried by soldiers in a ceremony typically reserved for fallen troops.

Over the weekend, hundreds of mourners gathered outside Didim Central Mosque to pay their respects to Eygi. The emotional gathering was followed by a smaller event at a cemetery, where an imam recited verses from the Quran and mourners laid white flowers on her grave.

Eygi, who held joint US citizenship, was shot by Israeli forces while participating in a weekly protest against an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Beita. International law considers all Israeli settlements as illegal. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that Eygi was "hit indirectly and unintentionally by IDF fire," further asserting that the shot was not aimed at the activist but at a person they referred to as the "key instigator" of a "violent riot" at the Beita Junction.

The incident drew international attention and condemnation, with US President Joe Biden expressing his disapproval and calling for "full accountability" over Eygi's death. However, he also referred to the shooting as a "tragic error." Turkey's Grand National Assembly Speaker, Numan Kurtulmuş, spoke out during the procession, describing Eygi's killing as the fault of a "terrorist state" rather than a handful of Israeli soldiers. Kurtulmuş indirectly criticized Biden for his characterization of the incident, accusing him of being "so far from humanity."

The International Solidarity Movement (ISM), the pro-Palestinian activist group Eygi had been volunteering with, criticized Biden for rejecting the demands of Eygi's family for an independent and transparent investigation into her death. Eygi's friends are pleading for justice and want answers about what truly happened to their loved one.

Ayşenur Eygi was remembered by her family as a fiercely passionate human rights activist who brought light and support to those around her. They compared her to the olive tree beneath which she took her last breaths – strong, beautiful, and nourishing. The family expressed their anguish, stating that her presence was unjustly and violently taken away by the Israeli military.

As the investigation into Eygi's tragic death unfolds, many are hopeful that justice will be served and accountability will be established. Eygi's legacy as a tireless advocate for human rights and her ultimate sacrifice will continue to resonate in the hearts of those who knew her and the broader global community.