Palestinian-American man 'beaten to death' by Israeli settlers, authorities say
The ruling Fatah party said Saif Al Din Musallat, 23, was a US citizen, and condemned the attack, which it described as a 'policy of the occupying state's practice of systemic terrorism'.
The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the second victim as Hussein Al Shalabi, 23, and said he was shot in the chest. The Wafa news agency said 10 others were wounded in the attack.
The US State Department did not comment directly on the killing of Mr Musallat.
'We are aware of reports of the death of a US citizen in the West Bank,' a department representative told The National. 'Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment.'
Mr Musallat's family in Tampa, Florida, issued a statement calling on the State Department to take action.
'This is an unimaginable nightmare and injustice that no family should ever have to face. We demand the US State Department lead an immediate investigation and hold the Israeli settlers who killed Saif accountable for their crimes,' the family statement said.
Annas Abu El Ezz, spokesman for the Palestinian Health Ministry, told AFP that Mr Musallat 'died after being severely beaten all over his body by settlers in the town of Sinjil', about 15km north-east of Ramallah.
The Florida Palestine Network mourned his loss.
'The young man was injured and remained so for four hours. The army prevented us from reaching him and did not allow us to take him away,' Abdul Samad Abdul Aziz, from the nearby village of Al Mazraa Al Sharqiya, told AFP.
'When we finally managed to reach him, he was taking his last breath.'
The Israeli military said clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israelis after rocks were thrown at Israeli civilians near Sinjil, lightly injuring two.
It said the ensuing 'violent confrontation … included vandalism of Palestinian property, arson, physical clashes, and rock hurling'.
'We are aware of reports regarding a Palestinian civilian killed and a number of injured Palestinians as a result of the confrontation,' the military said.
Violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank has risen in recent years, with settler attacks becoming more frequent since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Israeli killings of US citizens in the West Bank include those of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian-American teenager Omar Mohammad Rabea and Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi.
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