International

US citizen killed in West Bank violence: State Department

FILE - The State Department seal is seen on the briefing room lectern at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 31, 2022. (Mandel Ngan, Pool via AP, File)

The State Department on Monday confirmed that an American citizen was among those killed in attacks in the West Bank.

“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,” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides said on Twitter.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters Monday the individual killed near Jericho was a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen.

“The United States is extremely concerned by the events of this weekend and the continuing violence in Israel and the West Bank,” Price said.

Neither the ambassador nor the State Department identified the Israeli-American who was killed.

According to Reuters, the killing was part of several drive-by shootings conducted by Palestinians along a highway amid escalating violence this week.

Two Israeli settlers were shot dead on Sunday, reportedly by a Palestinian gunman, prompting other settlers to storm through part of the West Bank.

The State Department later condemned the killings and “the wide-scale, indiscriminate violence by settlers against Palestinian civilians.”