Palestinian-American teenager shot dead in West Bank

Omar Mohammad Rabea killed near village of Turmus Ayya

The Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya near the Israeli settlement of Shilo in the occupied West Bank, where a 14-year-old was killed as settler violence escalates. AFP

A Palestinian-American teenager was shot and killed by an Israeli settler on Sunday near the entrance to the village of Turmus Ayya, Palestinian officials said, with the Israeli military saying it shot a "terrorist" who endangered civilians by hurling rocks

The town's mayor, Adeeb Lafi, told Reuters that Omar Mohammad Rabea, 14, and two other teenagers had been shot in the village in the occupied West Bank.

“Two of them were transported by ambulance to a nearby medical centre 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,” Mr Lafi said.

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the incident as an "extra-judicial killing" by Israeli forces during a raid in the town, saying it was the result of Israel's "continued impunity".

"During a counterterrorism activity in the area of Turmus Aya, IDF soldiers identified three terrorists who hurled rocks toward the highway, thus endangering civilians driving," the Israeli army said in a statement.

"The soldiers opened fire toward the terrorists who were endangering civilians, eliminating one terrorist and hitting two additional terrorists."

Turmus Ayya, north of Ramallah, is home to a large community of Palestinian Americans.

The State Department confirmed on Monday, that a US citizen was killed in the West Bank over the weekend.

"We acknowledge the IDF initial statement that expressed that this incident occurred during a counter-terrorism operation and that Israel is investigating," a State Department Spokesperson told The National.

Last June, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, 17, a US citizen, was fatally shot near the town of Al Mazraa Al Sharqiya. According to the boy's uncle, the shooting occurred during clashes with the Israeli military that included stone-throwing by Palestinians.

Israeli settler violence has surged in the West Bank since Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, causing the deadliest iteration of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to date.