Two Palestinians Killed in West Bank Clash With Israeli Settlers

Israeli settlers beat and killed a 20-year-old Palestinian-American man during a confrontation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and a second Palestinian was fatally shot, according to Palestinian authorities and the families of both men.

The Israeli military did not confirm or deny the deaths, but said there had been a violent exchange on Friday between Palestinians and Israeli civilians near the West Bank town of Sinjil, where the two deaths were reported. The Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, and the Israeli police were looking into the reported deaths, the military said.

The U.S. embassy in Jerusalem confirmed the death of the man with American citizenship, identifying him as Sayfollah Musallet, but did not address the circumstances. U.S. officials have asked Israel for further details, the embassy said.

Mr. Musallet, 20, was born in Florida and returned to the West Bank last month to visit family, his cousin, Diana Halum, told The New York Times in an interview on Saturday. Ms. Hallum and other family members live in Mazraa al-Sharqiya, a nearby Palestinian town.

Mohammad Shalabi, 23, was shot and killed during the clashes, according to Palestinian health officials. It was not immediately clear who shot him: Both armed settlers and Israeli forces were on the scene.

Violence has soared in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Israeli military occupies the territory, where roughly 2.7 million Palestinians live alongside about 500,000 Israeli settlers.