Mourners give condolences to Mohammad Abu Siyam, the father of Palestinian-American Nasrallah Abu Siyam, 19, who according to the Palestinian Health Ministry was shot by settlers on Wednesday night, during his funeral in the West Bank village of Mukhmas, east of Ramallah, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
Nasser Nasser/AP
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Nasser Nasser/AP
MUKHMAS, West Bank — A Palestinian American man was shot and killed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry and a witness reported on Thursday.
Raed Abu Ali, a resident of Mukhmas, witnessed the settlers’ attack on the village, leading to clashes and the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam by armed settlers.
Abu Ali mentioned that Israeli forces used tear gas, sound grenades, and live ammunition during the incident, while the Israeli military claimed to have used “riot dispersal methods” in response to reports of rock-throwing by Palestinians.
According to Abu Ali, the settlers began shooting live bullets when the army arrived, and they also physically assaulted the injured with sticks. The Palestinian Ministry of Health later confirmed Abu Siyam’s death due to critical wounds sustained during the altercation.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of violence in the West Bank, with Israeli forces and settlers responsible for numerous Palestinian deaths. The Palestinian Authority’s Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission noted that Abu Siyam’s killing marked the first Palestinian fatality by settlers in 2026.
Mukhmas has been a focal point for settler attacks and illegal outpost construction, exacerbating tensions in the region.
The U.N. human rights office recently accused Israel of war crimes and raised concerns over ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. The report highlighted Israel’s displacement of Palestinians and alteration of demographics through settlement expansion.
The ongoing conflict has led to a dire humanitarian situation, with the need for extensive reconstruction efforts in Gaza, where the vast destruction will take years to address.
Furthermore, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported on the torture of Palestinian journalists detained by Israel during the conflict, shedding light on human rights abuses in the region.
As the situation in the West Bank and Gaza remains volatile, international organizations and governments continue to call for a peaceful resolution and accountability for human rights violations.
