Palestinian-American teen killed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank

A 14-year-old Palestinian-American, Omar Mohammad Rabea, was shot dead by an Israeli settler in Turmus Ayya, a West Bank town, on Sunday. The incident marks yet another surge in settler violence and confrontations between Palestinians and settlers across the occupied territory.

Rabea, along with two other teens, was shot at the entrance to the town. The mayor, Adeeb Lafi, confirmed that two of the teens were rushed to a medical centre, while the third, Rabea, was detained by Israeli soldiers before being pronounced dead.

"Two of them were transported by ambulance to a nearby medical center and then to the hospital. The army arrived at the scene and detained the third injured boy, who is 14 years old and holds US citizenship," Lafi said.

The Palestinian health ministry confirmed Rabea's death, attributing it to "occupation forces." Israeli military officials have yet to comment.

Settler violence in the West Bank, including frequent raids on Palestinian villages and Bedouin camps, has escalated since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. Despite international condemnation and sanctions from European countries and the Biden administration, Israel’s settler violence continues unchecked.