**Press Release: Israeli army kills American International Solidarity Movement volunteer during demonstration in Beita, Nablus**

Media enquiries: ismtraining [at] riseup.net

During the weekly demonstration in Beita, Palestine, on the morning of September 6th, 2024, the Israeli army intentionally shot and killed an International Solidarity Movement (ISM) human rights activist named Ayşenur Eygi.

The demonstration, which primarily involved men and children praying, was met with force from the Israeli army stationed on a hill. Initially, the army fired a large amount of tear gas and then began using live ammunition. Ayşenur, who we consider a martyr in the struggle, was the 18th demonstrator to be killed in Beita since 2020. She was an American citizen of Turkish descent.

The Israeli forces fired two rounds. One hit a Palestinian man in the leg, injuring him. The other round was fired at international human rights activists who were observing the demonstration, striking a human rights activist in the head. Eygi died shortly after being transported to a local hospital in Nablus.

Fellow ISM volunteer Mariam Dag (a pseudonymn) was on the scene, and witnessed the fatal injury of her comrade. She said:

“We were peacefully demonstrating alongside Palestinians against the colonisation of their land, and the illegal settlement of Evyatar. The situation escalated when the Israeli army began to fire tear gas and live ammunition, forcing us to retreat. We were standing on the road, about 200 meters from the soldiers, with a sniper clearly visible on the roof. Our fellow volunteer was standing a bit further back, near an olive tree with some other activists. Despite this, the army intentionally shot her in the head.

This is just another example of the decades of impunity granted to the Israeli government and army, bolstered by the support of the US and European governments, who are complicit in enabling genocide in Gaza. Palestinians have suffered far too long under the weight of colonization. We will continue to stand in solidarity and honor the martyrs until Palestine is free.”

A friend of the slain human rights activist and fellow volunteer with the ISM who does not wish their name released said:

“I don’t know how to say this. There’s no easy way. I wish I could [say] something eloquent, but I can’t through my sobbing tears…. my friend, comrade and travel partner to Palestine, was just shot in the head and murdered by the Israeli Occupation Forces. May she rest in power. She is now one of many martyrs in this struggle.”

Beita is a village in the West Bank where just weeks ago Amado Sison, another American volunteer, was struck by live ammunition in the back of the leg. Beita has a long history of resistance against Israeli occupation and has been a focal point of violence directed towards Palestinian residents by Israeli forces. Located near several illegal Israeli settlements, the village holds regular demonstrations. Due to escalating aggression by the Israeli forces, residents are currently refraining from marching or chanting, instead gathering together on the land and praying.

In recent years, Beita has seen ongoing demonstrations, particularly against the construction of new illegal Israeli outposts on the lands of the village. For example Evyatar outpost, on Sabih Mountain, has been established on Palestinian land. In June, the Israeli security cabinet approved the ‘legalization’ of Evyatar, causing the people of Beita to strengthen their popular resistance.

Residents of Beita recently restarted weekly Friday demonstrations to resist the further theft of their land. While protests had nearly ceased since October 7th 2023, due to escalating violence from Israeli occupation forces, there was a renewed push on July 5th 2024, when dozens of Palestinians, accompanied by international and Israeli activists, marched from the adjacent mountain, through the valley, and towards the outpost.

In recent months, international activists have experienced a sharp increase in violence from Israeli forces and the occupation must be held accountable for this. The woman martyred today was an activist with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a Palestinian-led organization that provides protective presence and solidarity in the West Bank. The ISM was founded in 2002, and has maintained a steady presence in Palestine ever since, supporting the Palestinian popular struggle against the occupation.

Our comrade is added to the 17 Palestinian protesters already slain in Beita:

**Palestinian demonstrators martyred in Beita**
– Mohammed Hamayyel, 15 (March 11, 2020)
– Islam Dwikat, 22 (April 9, 2020)
– Karam Amin Dwikat, 17 (October 15, 2023)
– Issa Sliman Barham, 40 (May 14, 2021)
– Tareq Ommar Snobar, 27 (May 16, 2021)
– Zakaria Maher Hamayyel, 25 (May 28, 2021)
– Mohammed Said Hamayyel, 15 (June 11, 2021)
– Ahmad Zahi Bani Shamsa, 15 (June 16, 2021)
– Shadi Ommar Sharafa, 41 (July 27, 2021)
– Imad Ali Dwikat, 38 (August 6, 2021)
– Mohammed Ali Khbeissa, 27 (September 24, 2021)
– Jamil Jamal Abu Ayyash, 32 (December 1, 2021)
– Fawaz Ahmad Hamayyel, 47 (April 13, 2022)
– Immad Jareh Bani Shamsa, 16 (October 9, 2023)
– Mohammed Ibrahim Adili, 13 (November 23, 2023)
– Maath Ashraf Bani Shamsa, 17 (February 9, 2024)
– Ameed Ghaleb Said al-Jaroub, 34 (March 22, 2024, died of a bullet wound injury to the head sustained on August 21, 2023)

At this time, the family will not be granting any interviews. Please contact ISM for media requests at ismtraining [at] riseup.net

Notes for journalists:

  • Some media reports have repeated false claims that ISM activists threw rocks during the peaceful demonstration in Beita. All eye witness accounts refute this claim. Aysenur was more than 200 meters away from where the Israeli soldiers were, and there were no confrontations there at all in the minutes before she was shot. Regardless, from such distance, neither she, nor anyone else could have possibly been perceived as posing any threat. She was killed in cold blood.
  • Statement issued by Beita municipality regarding the martyrdom of the foreign solidarity activist on Mount Sabih
  • Statement from Aysenur’s family

18 Martyrs and Dozens Injured in Israeli Shelling on Tulkarm Camp

On Thursday 3rd October, in the evening, the Israeli military bombed the Tulkarm refugee camp, in the North-East of the West Bank, killing at least 18 Palestinians in a single blast. The attack targeted a popular local café in the al-Hamam neighbourhood, also destroying the apartments above it and murdering the family of four that lived there, including two young children.

The bombing was carried out by an F16 jet, a war plane able to fly extremely quickly and take its target by surprise – which also meant the military was able to use a large missile, instantly wrecking the area and burying victims under heavy rubble, as well as dismembering the bodies.

Rescuers from the Civil Defense Team and Palestinian medical crews reported struggling to look for survivors under the wreckage, and finding many unidentifiable body parts that were transferred in boxes to the hospital.

In just a few days, Palestinians were already planning to commemorate the massacre
of the Nour Shams refugee camp that occurred in Tulkarem on October 22 last year, in which 12 Palestinians were killed, but they did not know that the Israeli occupation would commit a new massacre with such horror just before.

One American activist currently working in the West Bank commented: “The scenes were reminiscent of the genocide still raging in Gaza. In one video posted immediately after the bombing, you see a man’s lifeless body hanging from the building. My group was supposed to be going to Nour Shams tomorrow [Saturday] to distribute aid to the camp but now we can’t because the situation is too unsafe for us. This attack has been devastating.”


While attacks from both the Israeli military and Israeli settlers have been constant in the area since last year and before, this massacre marks a worrying turn as it is the first bombing carried out by a fighter jet in the West Bank since the Second Intifada that lasted from 2002-2005, as well as the deadliest single attack there in over twenty years.

This comes after months of Israeli harassment targeting the Tulkarem refugee camp with raids, strikes and sieges, particularly intensifying in the month of August, which saw a large-scale military operation targeting both Tulkarem and Jenin. Strikes on Tulkarm tend to be particularly murderous, as this camp is home to 25,000 Palestinian refugees.

F16 jets are central to the genocide Israel is leading in Gaza, where scenes like the one seen in Tulkarem on Thursday are daily occurrences. In Gaza, as in the West Bank, refugee camps are the prime targets of Israeli raids where the primary objective is annihilating Palestinians and rendering their land inhabitable. The Israeli strategy remains one of total destruction as a preamble to colonial expansion on stolen land.

There have already been at least 701 Palestinian casualties in the West Bank since October 7th 2023, mostly caused by the Israeli army – the rest by settlers who are often assisted and directly protected by them. If Israel continues to escalate in these areas, this number is likely to go up exponentially in the next few months, furthering the total genocide of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Israeli occupation forces murder journalist Wafa Al Udaini and her family

ISM mourns Wafa Al Udaini, a Palestinian activist and journalist we were honored to have worked with. Israeli forces bombed her home in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, in the early hours of Monday morning, September 30, murdering Wafa, her husband Munir Atiyeh Al-Udaini, 5-year-old daughter Balsam, and 7-month-old son Tamim. She is survived by her two young sons. 

Wafa was a dedicated and passionate Gaza-based activist and coordinator. She majored in English in Al Aqsa University, with the intention of becoming a teacher and translator. However, anger and frustration with how mainstream media ‘distorts our image in Palestine’, led her towards a career in journalism. She reported from Gaza during the invasions of 2008, 2014-2015 (during which her home was destroyed), and the current genocide, during which her and her family were displaced three times. 

Wafa was committed to teaching Palestinian youth and giving them the skills to tell their stories to the world. Her work ranged from leading a women’s youth group that worked on changing the stereotypes about Palestinians, to founding the Gaza-based 16th October Group, a group of English-language young journalists and activists. ​​​​​​​

‘Being a journalist in Gaza is not an easy task, because every single day, you are subjected to (the possibility) of being killed, injured, or arrested by the Israeli occupation forces. In fact hundreds of journalists get killed by Israeli fire. Everyone is a target.’  – Wafa Al Udaini

She is the 174th journalist killed by Israel since 7 October 2023. Her killing was condemned by the government media office in Gaza and the Palestinian Media Forum​​​​​​​. 

The last article Wafa wrote was, “There is no such thing as protective attire for journalists in Gaza.” In it, she described the total lack of protection for journalists in Gaza, and her colleagues Israeli forces had killed. Journalists in Gaza work “on empty stomachs and often without electricity to cover the genocide of their people”, amidst the constant threat of abduction, torture, or murder from Israeli forces, she wrote. 

E., who volunteered with ISM and worked with Wafa, said: ‘I first got to know Wafa when she was writing about the Great March of Return and life in Gaza under Israeli seige. One thing that impressed me while collaborating with her was her conviction and determination to stay true to what she felt was right, even at great personal cost.’

‘As the genocide became worse and it was clear that Israeli forces would kill anyone who dared to report on it, Wafa continued faithfully documenting the atrocities happening around her, and how Palestinians tried to help each other survive. Even after being targeted by Israeli tank fire, she continued sharing the stories of Gazans until the end, telling me she wanted to “help in spreading the truth.”‘

‘To me, Wafa was a hero, and one of the bravest people I ever knew. Rest in power Wafa, and may you live on in our memories and the truths you told.’

Neta Golan, ISM co-founder, said: ‘Wafa and her family were murdered and dismembered because she was committed to delivering a message from Gaza to the world, about the reality of Israeli colonialism, in English. She believed in us. She believed that if we knew, we would do all we can to end the genocide and support Palestine’s liberation. She risked her life to tell us about the reality of the unfolding genocide, and The Israeli occupation murdered her and her family members for it. But the truth can not be silenced. We are committed to Wafa’s mission of amplifying Palestinian voices, and we are committed to heeding their call.’

Settlers Steal Water as Harassment and Violence Continues towards Palestinians and Activists

24 September 2024 | International Solidarity Movement | Anizan

In the West Bank village of Anizan, South Hebron Hills, aggressions escalated yesterday as settlers harassed residents and stole water from their local well. A volunteer, who was present on the scene, reported the settlers had begun their provocations the day before, draining water and taunting the villagers. Early yesterday morning, the activists positioned themselves by the well to prevent further waste. A lone settler appeared but quickly left after seeing the volunteer.

By afternoon, two settlers returned, including a familiar figure known for frequent harassment in the area. According to the activist, the settlers claimed the well—and the land—belonged to Israel, dismissing the notion that the area was part of Palestine. For over 15 minutes, the settlers shook the well’s cover as the activist sat on it. The situation became more dangerous, and the activist was eventually shoved off the well. The settlers then used the well water to splash about and wash their vehicles. This Palestinian well serves the dire needs of the families of Anizan so stealing the water just added to the cruelty.

One of the settlers then accused the activist of causing injury and threatened to contact the authorities. Later in the evening, the settlers returned, this time harassing the villagers directly.

Today, the settlers returned to Anizan once more. This time one of the settlers came on horseback, making it possible for them to drive the Palestinians’ herds away from where they needed to be. The settlers also stole more water and splashed it on the horse.

Notably, this harassment took place across the road from Zanuta, where residents were recently served with a dire ultimatum of displacement, in an area where everyone else has been pushed out. The incident highlights the ongoing struggle over water resources and land rights in the region, as well as the daily challenges faced by Palestinian communities under occupation.

Video showing the various kinds of settler harassment in Anizan, September 23-24

Zanuta Residents Slammed with Displacement Ultimatum 3 Weeks after Returning to their Lands

20 September 2024 | International Solidarity Movement | Zanuta

The recently returned residents of the village of Zanuta (in the southernmost area of the occupied West Bank) have been slammed once again with more colonial practices from the Israeli forces.

Three weeks after returning to their land and homes, which had been destroyed by settlers, after having suffered daily settlers attacks and army harassment, and being barred from rebuilding the destroyed homes or even putting up a fence for their livestock, the citizens received an ultimatum from the Israeli Civil Administration. The order gave the villagers 30 days to accept what it calls an “offer” to relocate somewhere else; otherwise Israeli forces will demolish the already destroyed homes.

This is an illusion of offering a “solution”, and a coverup to show the international community the Israeli regime has “good intentions” by offering solutions which the Palestinians actually cannot accept. In reality, the alternative place “offered” is located in Area C contiguous to Area B of the West Bank, therefore continuing the implementation of the ghettoization of Palestinians into densely populated areas in Area A and B. Furthermore, the place is surrounded by outposts with extremely violent settlers, placing the Palestinians at certain risk of increased settler violence. Finally, the land designated as an alternative has been deemed State Land (“ownership” of the Israeli State), but is in fact Palestinian private land which the colonial State does not recognise as such. 

It is critical to this story to remember that the Zanuta residents were forcibly displaced from their land last November due to settler violence and returned last month, after an Israeli court ruled that they could do so under the “protection” of the Israeli army.

Photos showing the destruction of Zanuta homes and properties by Israeli colonists.

Press Release: ISM Response to US State Dept Criticism of Israeli Investigation into Killing of Ayşenur Eygi

Ayşenur’s fellow activists honor her life and add to her memorial in the very spot she was martyred in Beita

September 18, 2024

Media inquiries: palreports [at] gmail.com

Ten days after US citizen Ayşenur Eygi, a human rights activist with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier while witnessing a protest in the West Bank, the US State Department finally suggested that trusting Israel to investigate itself may not produce accurate results. This conclusion may not have required ten full days of deliberation had the US government heeded what Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights groups have been proclaiming loudly and clearly for years: the Israeli military cannot be trusted to investigate itself.

This year alone, reports from NPR and the Associated Press have shown that Israeli military investigations are inadequate; NPR detailed how questions of misconduct are met with confidential “operational inquiries” wherein no evidence is collected and soldiers can coordinate their testimony, while the AP detailed case-by-case the lack of transparency, inconclusiveness and rare admissions of guilt in Israel’s investigations of military misconduct. Relating how ISM activist Rachel Corrie’s death at the hands of an Israeli bulldozer still hasn’t been subject to a thorough, credible and transparent investigation, Rachel’s parents Cindy and Craig Corrie summed it up best: “Israel does not do investigations; they do cover-ups.”

Without regard to these serious liabilities, the US State Department continues to allow Israel to manage the investigation, promising other action “if those results aren’t satisfactory.” Meanwhile, Eygi’s family has been calling for an independent investigation since the day Eygi was murdered, along with the ISM and the parents of US citizen Rachel Corrie, who was also killed by the Israeli military. In the two days since the State Department’s criticisms of Israel’s investigation, there has been no change in the status quo and the US continues to send weapons to Israel to be used in Gaza and in the West Bank against Palestinians.

It is crucial to understand Ayşenur’s murder in the context of Israel’s oppressive colonial regime. In the West Bank this year, in a dramatic escalation, the Israeli military has wrought mass destruction and displaced many refugees in the camps, destroyed infrastructure with the goal of displacing all the residents of the camps, killed 17 Palestinians on the same hill where Ayşenur was shot dead, and murdered 13-year-old Bana Laboum in her own home on the same day. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers have perpetrated coordinated assaults on villagers and their property with the allowance and even assistance of the military.

By counting on the Israeli military to continue an investigation that they cannot be trusted to carry out impartially and truthfully, the US remains complicit in Israel’s ongoing crimes against humanity.