Israeli settlers kill two young Palestinians in West Bank field execution
Reports that Al Jazeera English got from witnesses, local officials, doctors, and relief workers say that the event started out as a quiet trip. After noon services, Saif, Riziq, and a few other friends went to fields owned by family in Al-Batin, an area with hills and olive trees between Sinjil and Al-Mazraa Al-Sharqiya. A deadly attack happened in the area, which is full of summer homes mostly owned by Palestinian Americans.
Around 2:15 p.m., a group of farmers hit the young men with rocks. Many of them were armed with batons, sticks, and guns. In video from that day, Israelis are seen striking, and Palestinians can be seen hitting back with stones. The young people tried to run away, but the farmers called for more help, which made their group of enemies about 70 strong.
The settlers roamed the area for hours, attacking and chasing anyone they saw. Another 50 Palestinians were hurt, and Saif and Riziq were killed in the fighting. Saif was found near an oak tree, dazed and having trouble breathing. He died before he could get to the hospital. In the late evening, Riziq's body had been shot, beaten, abused, and left to bleed to death.
Since the killings, Israeli violence has gone up sharply. There were 1,449 attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank in 2024. 759 new cases have been reported just in the first half of 2025.
He was born in Tampa, Florida, in 2004 and is a native of the United States. Before moving to Al-Mazraa Al-Sharqiya in 2012, he spent his early years in the United States. They lived in an area known as "Little America" because it was mostly made up of Palestinian American families. Saif, who was funny and friendly, moved back to the U.S. after high school to help run his family's ice cream shop, "Ice Screamin'." In June, he came back to the West Bank for two months to see family and friends and look for a bride-to-be.
Riziq, who was also from Al-Mazraa, used to be an athlete and long jumper. He was raised in a Christian home like Saif and was well-liked in the neighborhood.
In the West Bank, where Palestinian communities say they are facing rising Israeli violence that goes unpunished, the deaths of both men have made people more angry and sad.
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