US Senators Demand Investigation Into Ninth American Killed in West Bank by Israeli Forces
More than thirty United States senators have issued a formal letter demanding that the Trump administration launch an independent investigation into the February killing of a 19-year-old American citizen in the occupied West Bank. This marks the ninth US citizen killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers since 2022, with none of the cases resulting in a criminal conviction.
The letter, spearheaded by Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and addressed to key officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, calls for a US-led inquiry. It requests a full accounting of all nine cases and a congressional briefing by April 5, highlighting a consistent pattern of deaths without justice or accountability.
Details of the Latest Incident
Nasrallah Abu Siyam, a 19-year-old born in Philadelphia, was shot on February 18 in the West Bank village of Mukhmas during an attack on Palestinian farmers by masked settlers. Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers present at the scene did not intervene, offer medical assistance, or make any arrests. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not provided an immediate response to requests for comment.
Senator Van Hollen emphasized in the letter, shared exclusively with the Guardian, that this pattern persists despite assurances from US officials. The lawmakers wrote, "This has now become a consistent pattern in which Americans are being killed in the West Bank by settlers or the IDF without justice or accountability."
Political Support and Absences
The letter garnered signatures from 31 Democratic and independent senators, including prominent figures such as Senate Appropriations Vice-Chair Patty Murray, Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, and Senator Bernie Sanders. Notably absent were both senators from Pennsylvania, Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dave McCormick, despite Abu Siyam being a Philadelphia native. Fetterman, a vocal supporter of Israel, has not publicly commented on the killing.
This marks the second such letter from Van Hollen in less than eight months. In July 2025, he led nearly 30 colleagues in demanding answers over the killing of Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old from Florida beaten to death by settlers. Since that appeal, two more Americans have been killed.
Overview of the Nine Cases
The nine American deaths span various ages and circumstances:
- Shireen Abu Akleh, a renowned Palestinian American journalist, shot in the head by an Israeli soldier in 2022 while clearly identified as press.
- Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, from Seattle, shot in the head during a West Bank protest in 2024.
- Omar Assad, an elderly Palestinian-American, died of a stress-induced heart attack after being gagged, blindfolded, bound, and left on the ground by IDF soldiers.
- Khamis al-Ayyada, 40, died of smoke inhalation in August after a fire was set by Israeli settlers in his village.
- Three minors: a 14-year-old from New Jersey and two 17-year-olds killed in separate incidents.
The lawmakers noted, "For all nine of these killings, no one has yet been held accountable by the Netanyahu government, nor has the US government upheld its duty to protect Americans and secure justice."
Rising Settler Violence and Policy Context
Settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has increased sharply over the past two years, with dozens of villages emptied of residents, often with support from Israeli government forces. One of Trump's first acts upon returning to the White House in January was to revoke a Biden-era executive order that imposed sanctions on settlers implicated in violence. Overnight, 33 individuals and organizations lost their designations, which senators argue has led to a subsequent surge in settler violence incidents.
The letter concludes, "It is unclear to us how many more Americans must die in the West Bank in order for this administration, and other administrations, to take serious, credible steps to secure accountability." The US State and Justice Departments have not responded to requests for comment.
