An activist and student at Evergreen State College in Washington, Rachel Corrie traveled to support peace protests in Palestine for her senior year. On March 16, 2003, she was run over and killed by an Israeli bulldozer while protesting the demolition of a civilian's home in Gaza.
On March 16, 2003, 23-year-old Rachel Corrie and several others were protesting against the demolition of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah. The Israeli government claimed that militants were using the structures to fire on soldiers, but Corrie and her fellow members of the International Solidarity Movement wanted to protect the families who lived in Rafah. When a bulldozer started to approach the home of a family Corrie was staying with, she stepped in front of the machine and began shouting through a bullhorn so it would stop — but the driver continued forward, crushing Corrie to death.
The operators claimed they didn't see Corrie because she was concealed behind a pile of debris. However, others there said Corrie was wearing a neon orange jacket and was clearly visible. One man later recalled, "Her head and upper torso were above the bulldozer's blade, and the bulldozer operator and co-operator could clearly see her. Despite this, the operator continued forward, which caused her to fall back, and out of view of the driver… she tried to scoot back, but she was quickly pulled underneath the bulldozer." Israeli officials ultimately ruled Corrie's death an accident.