The family of a Palestinian American man from Tampa killed in a confrontation with Israeli settlers in the West Bank has asked the U.S. State Department to investigate his death.
“We demand justice,” they wrote in a statement. “This is an unimaginable nightmare and an injustice that no family should ever have to face.”
The Palestinian Health Ministry said Sayfollah Musallet, 20, had been beaten by the settlers. The family said the attack occurred on his family's land.
A U.S. embassy spokesperson confirmed Musallet's death.
Musallet, known as Saif by his family, traveled to the West Bank on June 4 and was in the village of Sinjil visiting family. He worked at his family’s ice cream business in north Tampa.
Israel’s military said Palestinians hurled rocks at Israelis in the area on Friday, lightly wounding two people and setting off a larger confrontation.
According to Musallet’s family, the settlers were “attempting to steal” the land.
“Israeli settlers surrounded Saif for over three hours as paramedics attempted to reach him, but the mob of settlers blocked the ambulance and paramedics from providing life-saving aid,” the family said. “After the mob of settlers cleared, Saif’s young brother rushed to carry him to the ambulance. Saif died before reaching the hospital.”
The State Department said it had no comment out of respect for the family.
“Saif was a brother and son, just starting the prime of his life,” the family said. “He was a kind, 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.
Funerals were held Sunday in the West Bank for Musallet and a friend, Mohammed al-Shalabi, who was shot in the chest, the Palestinian ministry said.
Their bodies were carried through the streets of Al-Mazraa a-Sharqiyaas as mourners waved Palestinian flags and chanted, “God is great.”
Since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas against Israel that killed some 1,200 people and resulted in the kidnapping of several hundred more, tensions between Palestinians and Israelis have been on the rise, even among the civilian population.
Palestinians and rights groups have long accused the Israeli military of ignoring settler violence. Israeli officials rarely prosecute those accused of violence against Palestinians, and when they do, a very small percentage end in conviction.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has called for accountability for Musallet’s death.
Members of his family are expected to speak at a news conference today at CAIR’s Tampa chapter on Monday.
Information from the Associated Press and NPR was used in this report.
