Family calls on President Trump to hold Israel accountable after 20-year-old U.S. citizen is fatally beaten during escalating settler violence.
A 20-year-old American citizen from Florida was beaten to death by Israeli settlers on Friday while visiting family in the occupied West Bank, according to his relatives and Palestinian authorities.
Sayfollah “Saif” Musallet, who had been in the West Bank since June, was attacked in the town of al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya, north of Ramallah. His family said a group of settlers blocked medical help from reaching him for nearly three hours. By the time his brother managed to carry him to an ambulance, it was too late.
“Saif died before reaching the hospital,” the family said in a statement. Musallet reportedly suffered fatal injuries from the assault, including trauma to the head and neck.
A second man, 23-year-old Mohammed al-Shalabi, was also killed in the same incident, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Rising Violence Amid Settler Expansion
The brutal killing comes amid a surge in violence across the West Bank following the October 2023 Hamas attacks and subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Attacks by Israeli settlers have spiked dramatically, often occurring with little to no legal consequence. These attacks include home invasions, arson, and physical assaults on Palestinians — violence that has frequently turned deadly.
The Palestinian town where Musallet was killed is home to many American families and is known for its peaceful hillside neighborhoods and olive groves. However, residents say increased settler aggression has made life in the area increasingly dangerous.
“There’s nothing left here to enjoy,” said Nizar Milbes, a close family friend visiting from California. “Settlers have burned down vacation homes, taken over properties, and created a climate of fear.”
U.S. Response and Investigation
The U.S. State Department acknowledged it was “aware of reports of the death of a U.S. citizen in the West Bank,” but declined further comment “out of respect for the privacy of the family.”
Israeli authorities confirmed they were investigating the incident. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and police stated they had responded to reports of a confrontation and detained individuals from both sides. A joint probe is underway.
However, rights organizations say accountability in such cases is rare. Israeli watchdog group Yesh Din reports that between 2005 and 2023, over 93% of settler violence investigations were closed without indictments, and only 3% resulted in convictions.
Family Devastated, CAIR Demands Action
Musallet, who helped run his father’s ice cream shop in Tampa, traveled to the West Bank to visit his mother, siblings, and extended family. His father is reportedly en route from Florida for his funeral, scheduled for Sunday.
“This news has been devastating for the entire family,” said cousin Fatmah Muhammed.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Florida condemned the killing and called on President Donald Trump to hold Israel accountable.
“This murder is yet another killing of an American citizen by Israeli settlers who are backed and enabled by the Israeli government,” CAIR-Florida said in a statement. “It’s time for the U.S. to stop turning a blind eye. If America is to come first, American lives — including Palestinian-American lives — must be protected.”
The organization warned that impunity for previous killings has emboldened Israeli settlers, referencing several incidents in recent years in which U.S. citizens, including teenagers, were killed by Israeli forces or settlers — often without consequence.
In one of the most recent cases, 14-year-old American citizen Amer Rabee was shot by Israeli soldiers in April. The IDF said he had been throwing rocks; his family said he was picking almonds.
UN and International Concern
In March, the United Nations reported that settler violence in the West Bank had increased dramatically and was occurring in a “climate of impunity.” The report cited a pattern of Israeli authorities failing to prosecute perpetrators or prevent repeated attacks.
Since October 2023, over 960 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs — a sharp increase from prior years.
A Tragic Pattern
Musallet’s killing joins a growing list of U.S. citizens — including Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, and teenagers Mohammad Khdour and Tawfic Abdel Jabbar — who have been killed in the West Bank in the past year. Human rights groups say that unless there is meaningful accountability, the violence will continue.
As the family of Sayfollah Musallet prepares to bury him, they are demanding that the U.S. government not let another American death go unanswered.
