Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was "shot in the head" while participating in a peaceful demonstration in Beita in the West Bank on Friday.

"Her presence in our lives was taken needlessly, unlawfully, and violently by the Israeli military," Eygi's family said in a statement.

"A US citizen, Aysenur was peacefully standing for justice when she was killed by a bullet that video shows came from an Israeli military shooter."

"We call on President (Joe) Biden, Vice President (Kamala) Harris, and Secretary of State (Antony) Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of a US citizen and to ensure full accountability for the guilty parties."

Eygi was a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a pro-Palestinian organisation, and was in Beita on Friday for a weekly demonstration against Israeli settlements, according to ISM.

In recent years, pro-Palestinian demonstrators have frequently held weekly protests against the Eviatar colonial outpost overlooking Beita, which is backed by extremist far-right Israeli ministers.

During Friday's protest, Eygi was shot in the head, according to the UN rights office and Rafidia hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Turkey said she was killed by "Israeli occupation soldiers", with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemning the Israeli "barbaric" action.

Washington called it a "tragic" event and has pressed its close ally Israel to investigate.

But her family has demanded an independent probe.

"Given the circumstances of Aysenur's killing, an Israeli investigation is not adequate," her family said.

Her family said Eygi always advocated "an end to the violence against the people of Palestine".

Israeli settlements in the West Bank -- where about 490,000 colonial settlers live -- are illegal under international law.

Since October 7 Israeli troops or terrorist settlers have killed more than 690 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

At least 23 Israelis, including security forces, have been killed during the same period, according to Israeli officials.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.