A 20-year-old Palestinian-American man was killed after being brutally attacked by Israeli settlers while visiting family in the occupied West Bank, according to his family.Sayfollah “Saif” Musallet, who was born in Tampa, Florida, was beaten to death near his family’s farm in the town of Baten al-Hawa, north of Jerusalem, within Area B of the occupied territory. His family says a group of settlers assaulted Musallet while he was defending his land, and then blocked ambulances from reaching him for three hours. He died from his injuries before he could reach the hospital.“I was the first one to reach Saif,” said Mohammed Nael Hijaz, a 22-year-old friend of the victim. “He was not moving when I got there and he could barely breathe. There was time to save him,” he told The Guardian.The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed the death and said Musallet had been “severely beaten all over his body.” A second Palestinian man, 23-year-old Razek Hussein al-Shalabi, was fatally shot during the same incident and left to bleed to death, according to the ministry. Ten others were injured in the attack, it added.Also read | Express Opinion: Gaza ceasefire talks: Displacement is not peaceThe municipality of Sinjel, where the attacks occurred, called it a “barbaric attack” and said Israeli forces stormed the area alongside the settlers, obstructing the work of paramedics and volunteers. The Israeli military acknowledged a “violent confrontation” and said it was “aware of reports concerning a Palestinian civilian” killed in the incident, adding that the case is under review by the Israeli Security Agency and police.Musallet had been visiting the West Bank since early June and had recently opened an ice cream business with his father in Tampa, family members told CNN. “He was a very sweet guy, full of hopes and dreams,” Hijaz added.In a statement, the family said: “We are devastated that our beloved Sayfollah Musallet (nicknamed Saif) was brutally beaten to death by Israeli settlers while he was protecting his family’s land from settlers who were attempting to steal it. Saif was a brother and a son, just starting the prime of his life. He was a kind and hard-working and deeply respected young man. Saif built a successful business in Tampa and was known for his generosity, ambition and connection to his Palestinian heritage. We demand justice.”Story continues below this adThe US State Department confirmed it is aware of the reports of a US citizen’s death in the West Bank and said it is ready to offer consular support. A spokesperson told CNN, “Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment.”Also read | EU ‘deeply regrets’ US sanctions on UN expert on Palestinians, says EU spokespersonAccording to The Guardian, the same area where Musallet was killed had seen previous settler violence, including an attack on two journalists from German broadcaster DW just a week earlier. The journalists were wearing press jackets and had their vehicle heavily damaged by settlers who pelted them with rocks. Israeli soldiers reportedly stood by.Rights groups have repeatedly accused the Israeli military of failing to prevent— and even facilitating — settler attacks. Arrests of settlers remain rare. Two weeks prior, more than 100 settlers raided the village of Kafr Malek, killing three Palestinians and injuring several others.Since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, violence in the West Bank has escalated dramatically. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and at least 9,000 injured, according to Palestinian officials. Musallet is one of at least three Palestinian-American citizens killed in the West Bank since then.Story continues below this adAlthough the Biden administration had previously imposed sanctions on violent Israeli settlers, those sanctions were rescinded by Donald Trump after returning to office in 2025.“The settlers want to take over our land,” said Hijaz. “Their aggression is increasing by the day. The Israeli army comes to protect them and doesn’t do anything to stop them from attacking us. No one can hold the settlers accountable.”Funerals for Musallet and al-Shalabi will be held on Sunday, with both men buried together.