Sinjil – Two Palestinians, including a 20-year-old American citizen, were killed Friday evening in what officials described as a violent assault by Israeli settlers near the town of Sinjil in the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian health ministry confirmed that Sayfollah Musallet, a dual US citizen from Tampa, Florida, was beaten to death during the confrontation. A second victim, Mohammed al-Shalabi, 23, was shot in the chest and later died from his injuries.
The Israeli military said a group of Palestinians allegedly threw stones at Israeli civilians near Sinjil, triggering what it called “a violent confrontation.” It said the incident is under investigation and confirmed it is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
According to Musallet’s family, he had traveled to the West Bank on June 4 to visit relatives and defend family-owned land near Sinjil. In a statement, his relatives said, “Saif was brutally beaten to death by Israeli settlers while protecting our land. Paramedics tried to reach him, but the settlers blocked their path. By the time his younger brother carried him to an ambulance, it was too late.”
They called on the US government to launch an immediate investigation and “hold those responsible accountable for their crimes.”
The US State Department said it is aware of the reports but declined to provide further details, citing the family’s privacy.
Palestinian state news agency Wafa reported that al-Shalabi, who was from the neighboring town of al-Mazraa al-Sharqiya, was shot by settlers during the same attack. He reportedly bled for hours before medical help could reach him. Wafa also said at least 10 other Palestinians were injured in the clashes, and described the settlers as being armed with automatic rifles.
The Israeli military said its forces, along with police and Border Police units, were deployed to the scene and used riot control measures. In a public statement, it acknowledged that it was “aware of reports regarding a Palestinian civilian killed and a number of injured Palestinians as a result of the confrontation,” and added that the matter is under review by Israeli security agencies.
Friday’s deaths follow weeks of escalating violence across the West Bank, where attacks by Israeli settlers have intensified since the Gaza war began in October 2023. UN data shows that at least 910 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces since the start of the conflict. Thirteen others have been killed by settlers, with seven deaths attributed to either security forces or settlers. At least 44 Israelis have also died in Palestinian attacks across Israel and the West Bank during the same period.
On Monday, settlers reportedly torched cars and fields in the Christian town of Taybeh, home to many US passport holders. A fire broke out near a 5th-century church, prompting local priests to call for international intervention. The US Embassy condemned the violence and stated that ensuring the safety of American citizens abroad remains a top priority.
Israel maintains that the settlements it has constructed across the West Bank since 1967 are legal. However, the United Nations and the International Court of Justice have both reaffirmed their illegality under international law.
As investigations continue into the Sinjil killings, human rights groups and diplomats are watching closely. The deaths of Musallet and al-Shalabi are the latest in a string of incidents that underscore the growing risk facing Palestinians in contested areas of the West Bank.
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