US confirms death of American citizen in reported Israeli settler attack in West Bank

A US citizen, Saif al-Din Kamel Abdul Karim Musallat, has reportedly died after being beaten by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The US State Department confirmed the death, saying it was aware of the reports. The Israeli military is investigating the incident, which occurred in the town of Sinjil. Musallat, from Tampa, Florida, was in his 20s. Settler violence in the West Bank has intensified since Israel's war in Gaza began.

In a tragic incident that has drawn international attention, a US citizen, Saif al-Din Kamel Abdul Karim Musallat, has reportedly died after being beaten by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The incident occurred in the town of Sinjil, with the US State Department confirming the death and expressing awareness of the reports [1].

Musallat, a 23-year-old from Tampa, Florida, was visiting family in Palestine when the incident took place. The Israeli military is currently investigating the incident, which reportedly involved a violent confrontation between Palestinians and Israeli civilians. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that "terrorists" threw stones at Israeli civilians, leading to two Israeli civilians being lightly injured. The IDF claimed that the violence escalated into a confrontation involving the destruction of Palestinian property, arson, physical clashes, and stone-throwing [2].

The Palestinian Authority's ministry of health reported that Musallat and another Palestinian were killed during the settlers' attack. Musallat was assaulted and beaten to death, while the second Palestinian was shot and later found dead. The attack reportedly occurred after Palestinians tried to reach their private land near a settler outpost [1].

The incident has sparked condemnation from various quarters, including human rights groups and Palestinian organizations. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) have called for accountability and action from the US administration, noting that the incident is part of a broader pattern of settler violence in the West Bank [3].

The escalation of settler violence in the West Bank has been a contentious issue, with some Western countries imposing sanctions on violent settlers. However, attacks have increased since the outbreak of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. The Trump administration's revocation of sanctions on settlers imposed by the Biden administration has been cited as a contributing factor to the escalation [1].

The US Department of State has not responded to requests for comment about the killing of Musallat. The incident has highlighted ongoing concerns about the safety and security of US citizens in the Middle East and the effectiveness of US diplomacy in addressing the issue [3].

References:
[1] https://www.axios.com/2025/07/12/palestinian-american-killed-settlers-west-bank
[2] https://www.yahoo.com/news/israeli-settlers-beat-death-us-231525899.html
[3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/11/israeli-settlers-beat-to-death-us-citizen-in-west-bank-family-says