This is a developing story.
(JTA) — An American citizen in his 20s was killed in a shooting on Monday near the Palestinian city of Jericho in the eastern West Bank, the latest attack in an escalating wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Tom Nides, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, identified the victim as a U.S. citizen. “Sadly, I can confirm that a U.S. citizen was killed in one of the terror attacks in the West Bank tonight. I pray for his family,” Nides tweeted.
The gunmen drove up to the man’s car and shot at him, critically injuring him, and also fired at other cars, according to Israeli reports. No other injuries were reported. According to the Israel Police, the gunmen abandoned their car and set it on fire.
The attack came one day after a Palestinian gunman killed two Israelis traveling through the northern West Bank Palestinian town of Huwara. Settlers later rioted in Huwara, burning houses and cars. At least one Palestinian was killed amid the riots.
In total, more than a dozen Israelis, most of them civilians, have been killed in Palestinian terror attacks since the start of 2023. During that same period, Israel has killed more than 60 Palestinians , including a number of civilians, in military raids on militant cells in the West Bank.
