U.S. Citizen’s Death in West Bank Sparks Outrage and Demands for Justice
Palestinian-American Killed by Settlers Amid Escalating West Bank Violence
Sayfollah “Saif” Musallet, a 20-year-old American citizen from Tampa, Florida, was beaten to death by Israeli settlers on July 11, 2025, in the West Bank village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, while his family and rights groups are demanding accountability and international intervention amid a steep rise in settler attacks across the occupied territory.
Musallet had travelled to the West Bank in early June to visit relatives and help defend their farmland, which his family says had been repeatedly threatened by encroaching Israeli settlers. On the day of his death, following Friday prayers, Musallet and fellow villagers went to their fields only to be met by a mob of armed settlers wielding rocks, bats, and at least two rifles. As violence erupted, Musallet and another young man, Mohammed al-Shalabi, attempted to protect their family’s land. Al-Shalabi was shot and killed; Musallet was beaten by the mob and later died before he could reach a hospital, after ambulances were blocked for hours.
Setters Block Medical Aid and Violence Escalates
Eyewitnesses and family members say ambulances were immediately called when the attack began, but advancing paramedics were prevented from reaching the scene for more than three hours as settlers blocked their path. One ambulance’s windshield was smashed by settlers throwing stones. Israeli soldiers on site reportedly fired tear gas at Palestinians and refused medics access, further delaying emergency care.
By the time the mob retreated and Musallet’s younger brother was able to bring him to a waiting ambulance, the 20-year-old succumbed to his injuries before arriving at the hospital. Local officials described the killing as “barbaric” and part of “daily assaults” on Palestinian residents.
“We are devastated that our beloved Sayfollah, nicknamed Saif, was brutally beaten to death in our family’s land by illegal Israeli settlers, who were attempting to steal it. Israeli settlers surrounded Saif for over three hours as paramedics attempted to reach him, but the mob blocked the ambulance. … No family should ever have to face this injustice,” the Musallet family said through a public statement.
Wider Pattern of Settler Violence and Impunity
The killing of Musallet has drawn new scrutiny to an alarming surge in settler violence throughout the West Bank, with the United Nations reporting nearly 1,000 Palestinians—civilians and activists—killed by Israeli forces or settlers since October 2023. During the first three months of 2025 alone, the Palestinian Authority recorded 860 separate attacks on Palestinians and their property by Israeli settlers.
Rights groups say that over 93% of settler violence investigations are closed without indictment, perpetuating what they describe as a climate of impunity. The recent incident, along with ongoing violence, underscores what some activists and human rights observers call an “unprecedented campaign” of harassment, displacement, and armed intimidation in the West Bank.
Settler attacks have included land seizures, arson targeting homes and businesses, destruction of crops, and direct assaults on villagers. Last week, the Christian-majority West Bank town of Taybeh reported that settlers set fires near a 1,500-year-old church and attacked local homes.
“This is not the first and is not going to be the last attack from these settlers. They come with impunity, and the army just stands by to protect them,” said a local West Bank mayor interviewed by TIME.
U.S. and International Response
Musallet’s American citizenship has led his family and a growing chorus of advocates to demand that the U.S. government launch a full and independent investigation and take tangible steps to protect American citizens in the region. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee labeled the incident a “criminal and terrorist act” and called for an immediate and transparent investigation by Israeli authorities, stating: “American lives must be protected, no matter where they are”.
The U.S. State Department has reportedly pressed Israeli officials for answers, while members of Congress, including Representatives Hakeem Jeffries and Rosa DeLauro, publicly called for justice and accountability in Musallet’s case. Senator Chris Murphy described the murder as “an appalling crime” and insisted that the Netanyahu government “must thoroughly investigate and hold accountable the settlers responsible for allegedly beating this young man to death”.
Despite promises of investigations, no suspects had been arrested or charged as of mid-July. The Israeli government stated only that an incident had occurred between “Israeli civilians and Palestinians” near Sinjil and announced an investigation, without naming victims or specifically condemning the violence.
Family and Community Demand Justice
Musallet’s family, now split between Florida and the West Bank, is adamant in their demands for both recognition and accountability. His father, Kamel Musallet, condemned both the settlers’ actions and the delay in medical help, blaming the Israeli military and U.S. government for “allowing impunity.” He stated to The Times of Israel: “I hold the Israeli military just as responsible as the settlers and the American government for not doing anything about this.”
The family and the broader Palestinian-American community have held multiple vigils in the U.S. and the West Bank, demanding not only justice for Musallet but also for the other American citizens killed in similar circumstances. Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, at least five Palestinian-Americans are reported to have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank. No one has been prosecuted in any of these cases.
Settler Violence Surges Amid Broader Conflict
Observers connect the surge in West Bank violence to broader dynamics of the Israel-Gaza war. Human rights groups and analysts report that settler violence—often carried out with the tacit approval, or even active support, of the Israeli military—has forced thousands of Palestinians from their homes in a pattern of land seizure and intimidation.
The United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and numerous advocacy organizations have decried the violence and called for an end to Israeli settlement expansion and forced displacement. The International Court of Justice recently deemed Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of settlements.
“The incident occurred amid an almost complete breakdown of law and order in the territory, allowing extremist settler groups to drive Palestinians off their land at an alarming rate as part of an organized strategy to remake the territorial map by force,” Senator Murphy noted in his statement.
Statistics Illustrate Growing Crisis
More than 956 Palestinians have been killed and about 7,000 injured in the West Bank since October 2023.
The first three months of 2025 saw 860 separate settler attacks, according to the Palestinian Authority.
Of legal complaints filed over settler attacks, fewer than 3% result in a conviction.
Over 2,900 Palestinians have been displaced by settler violence since January 2023.
As of July 2025, at least five American citizens have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank within the past two years.
Community and Political Consequences
The killing of Musallet is viewed by many as indicative of an increasingly perilous reality for Palestinians and Palestinian-Americans in the West Bank. Advocacy groups in the U.S. and abroad have called for Washington to condition military aid to Israel on accountability for such attacks, warning that diplomatic statements have done little to alter entrenched patterns of violence. Vigils and protests across American cities reflect outrage, with calls for justice for Saif and for systemic change in U.S. policy.
At Musallet’s Tampa mosque, hundreds gathered to honor his memory, describing him as a bridge between his American and Palestinian identities. Friends and family recalled a young man “deeply devoted to those he loved” and committed to forging a future on his ancestral land.
Demands for Justice and Prevention
The death of Sayfollah Musallet has thrust the issues of settler violence, legal impunity, and U.S. responsibility to the forefront of both American and Israeli public debates. While Musallet’s family grieves, their calls grow: “We can’t get our son back… But I don’t want more death. Why can’t the American government help and stop the settlers from coming here? That’s the main thing. We don’t want more settler violence,” his father told The Times of Israel.
The outcome of ongoing investigations—by both Israeli and (potentially) U.S. authorities—will test the international community’s ability to ensure both justice for American citizens and protection for Palestinians living under occupation. For now, Musallet’s case stands as a stark reminder of the profound human cost of unchecked violence and of the challenges facing all those who seek accountability in the world’s most entrenched conflicts.