A 19-year-old Palestinian-American was fatally shot by an Israeli settler during a confrontation in the West Bank village of Mukhmas. The U.S. State Department has condemned the violence and emphasized protecting American citizens abroad. The incident is part of escalating settler violence that has surged since the Gaza conflict began.
A Palestinian-American teenager has died after being shot by an Israeli settler during a confrontation in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian health officials who announced the death late Wednesday evening.
The victim, identified as 19-year-old Nasrallah Mohammed Jamal Abu Siam, was wounded during the Wednesday incident in Mukhmas village, located near Ramallah.
U.S. embassy representatives have spoken out against the violence. A State Department official told Reuters on Thursday: “The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizen overseas.”
According to a family member who requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation from Israeli security personnel, the deadly encounter began when settlers entered the village attempting to steal livestock. The relative explained that when local residents, including Abu Siam, intervened to stop the theft, the settlers opened fire on the group, striking Abu Siam and other villagers.
Palestinian Authority news service WAFA reported that the violence left five individuals injured overall, with three suffering gunshot wounds including Abu Siam. The agency provided no additional information about the remaining injuries.
Israeli military officials have not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the shooting.
Such attacks by Israeli settlers targeting Palestinians in the West Bank have dramatically escalated since Gaza hostilities commenced in October 2023. United Nations statistics show nearly 700 people have been forced from their homes due to settler violence in 2026.
UN records indicate nine Palestinians have lost their lives in West Bank violence during 2026, while 240 were killed throughout 2025. During that same 2025 period, two Israelis died in West Bank incidents, the data shows.
Prosecutions for settler violence remain uncommon in Israel. Israeli watchdog organization Yesh Din reported that by the close of 2025, just 2% of the hundreds of settler violence cases they tracked since October 7, 2023, led to criminal charges.
Abu Siam joins several other American citizens, including activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, who have been killed by Israeli military personnel or settlers in the West Bank over the past two years.
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