The family of 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam, a U.S. and Palestinian citizen, is demanding accountability for the perpetrators following his tragic death in the occupied West Bank. The man was shot dead last Wednesday near Ramallah during an attack by Israeli settlers on the village of Muchmas. This is another incident in the region that has prompted a firm response from the U.S. Department of State and renewed accusations from the UN of human rights violations by Israel.

Deadly Attack in Muchmas

19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam was shot dead on February 19, 2026 by Israeli settlers during an attack on a Palestinian village.

Victim's Citizenship Status

The killed teenager held a U.S. passport, which forced the direct involvement of the U.S. Department of State in the case.

UN Accusations

The UN Human Rights Office warns of the risk of ethnic cleansing and accuses the Israeli side of war crimes.

IDF Response

The Israeli army denied the involvement of its soldiers in the incident, attributing responsibility to armed civilians.

The tragic event took place on Wednesday afternoon in the village of Muchmas, located east of Ramallah. According to witness accounts and information from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, a group of armed Israeli settlers attacked the locality, opening fire on civilians. As a result of the shooting, 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam, who held United States citizenship, lost his life. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a brief statement denying that its soldiers fired shots in the area, indirectly pointing to the culpability of civilians from nearby settlements. The teenager's funeral took place on Thursday and turned into a protest against violence. Amid escalating tensions, the UN Human Rights Office accused Israel of committing war crimes and expressed concern about ongoing ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem condemned the act of violence, emphasizing that the safety of American citizens abroad is an absolute priority for Washington. The victim's family publicly called for a transparent investigation and punishment of those responsible. Jewish settlement in the West Bank, considered illegal by most of the international community under the Geneva Conventions, has been a major flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades.Statistics indicate a drastic increase in armed settler activity over the past two years. Abu Siyam is at least the sixth U.S. citizen to have been killed in this region by Israeli settlers or security forces in a short period. This situation places the Washington administration in a difficult diplomatic position regarding its key ally in the Middle East. Human rights monitoring organizations warn that the lack of a firm punitive response to settler attacks leads to a sense of impunity and further escalation of the conflict. „The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizen overseas.” — Przedstawiciel Departamentu Stanu USA

Mentioned People

  • Nasrallah Abu Siyam — 19-year-old American-Palestinian citizen shot dead in the West Bank.
  • Mohammad Abu Siyam — Father of the killed teenager, receiving condolences during the funeral.