The U.S. on Monday said it wants Israel to complete its investigation into the killing of Turkish-American activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi before determining any potential next steps.
"We want to see the end of the (Israeli) investigation before we speak to that, which does not mean that it is an open-ended timeline," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said during a daily press briefing.
His remarks came in response to Anadolu's question about whether the State Department plans to take any action regarding Eygi's death instead of waiting for Israel to conclude the investigation, which has been ongoing for over 2 months.
Miller emphasized that the U.S. has been in contact with the Israeli government, including very recently, regarding Eygi's case, to "make clear that we wanted to hear from them exactly what happened".
"We continue to press the Government of Israel to conduct its investigation and to brief us on the results of that investigation," he said, adding that he doesn't have an announcement yet.
When asked about the timeline, Miller declined to speak to it "publicly".
"We're in conversation with the Government of Israel about it, but we want to see the investigation be thorough, and then when we see the results, of course, we want to speak to them at that time, as well as any additional steps that may or may not be warranted," he added.
On a separate question regarding a Hareetz report about Israeli crackdown on foreign activists, including Americans, in the occupied West Bank, Miller said the U.S. is "currently gathering more information" about the reports.
"We support the rule of law and due process, and we'll continue to advocate for these principles, especially when they pertain the treatment of US citizens," he said.
Eygi, 26, was killed by Israeli forces 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.
Eygi's family said she was killed in a targeted attack and is urging the U.S. to launch an independent investigation into her killing. Turkish authorities are also investigating Eygi's killing.
Hareetz reported last week that Israel is using arrests, passport confiscations and deportations as part of its policy against foreign activists in the occupied West Bank.
Citing official data, Haaretz said at least 16 foreign activists have been expelled from Israel since October 2023 after being detained in the West Bank on various charges.
