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Palestinian American Killed in West Bank Clash as Gaza Families Endure Ramadan Hardship

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Nasrallah Abu Siyam Killed During Mukhmas Confrontation Nineteen‑year‑old Nasrallah Abu Siyam, a U.S. citizen, was shot dead by armed Israeli settlers on February 20 in the West Bank village of Mukhmas; the Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed his death from critical wounds after the clash [1]. Israeli forces arrived later, deploying tear‑gas, sound grenades and “riot dispersal methods,” but denied using live ammunition [1]. The incident marks the second Palestinian American killed by settlers within a year, prompting heightened diplomatic concern [1].

Settlers Opened Fire After Troops Arrived, Witness Says Resident Raed Abu Ali reported that settlers began firing live rounds and clubbing injured people once they saw Israeli soldiers, while Israeli troops responded only with non‑lethal measures [1]. Israeli officials maintain that no live fire was employed by their forces, creating a dispute over the exact source of the bullets [1]. The clash occurred in the afternoon, intensifying already volatile settler‑Palestinian tensions in the area [1].

UN Rights Office and U.S. Embassy Issue Strong Statements The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that Israeli settlement practices and displacement policies could amount to ethnic cleansing, describing a “concerted and accelerating effort to consolidate annexation” [1]. The U.S. embassy in Israel condemned the killing, emphasizing the need for accountability after Abu Siyam’s mother confirmed his American citizenship [1]. These reactions come amid a broader surge of violence, with the UN reporting 240 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank last year compared with 17 Israeli deaths [1].

Ramadan Observed Under Fragile Cease‑Fire in Gaza On February 19, Waleed al Zamli’s family of eleven lived in tents at Muwasi, relying on a charity kitchen for their first iftar meal as the October 10 U.S.–brokered cease‑fire held but “almost daily Israeli fire” continued, killing over 600 Palestinians since its start [2]. The family’s shop was destroyed, leaving them without income and dependent on humanitarian aid during the holy month [2]. Their son‑in‑law, killed shortly after marrying their daughter, underscores the personal loss felt throughout the enclave [2].

Humanitarian Strain Evident in Food Prices and Aid Gaps Gaza’s Health Ministry reports more than 72,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread displacement since the Oct. 7, 2023 conflict began [2]. Rising meat and poultry prices, combined with limited aid, have made basic Ramadan provisions unaffordable for many families, including the al Zamli household [2]. The ongoing lack of stable income and persistent shelling exacerbate the community’s struggle to observe religious traditions normally [2].

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Timeline

Oct 7, 2023 – Hamas militants launch a coordinated assault on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 civilians and seizing 251 hostages, igniting the two‑year Gaza war that underpins all subsequent events [27].

Oct 10, 2025 – A U.S.‑brokered cease‑fire (phase one) takes effect, halting large‑scale combat, exchanging hostages, and beginning an aid surge, but both sides soon accuse each other of violations [1][4][8].

Dec 13, 2025 – Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Katz order the assassination of Hamas weapons chief Raed Saad, citing a recent explosive that wounded Israeli soldiers; the strike kills Saad and four civilians [20][21][19].

Dec 14, 2025 – Hamas confirms that senior commander Raed Saad was killed in the Israeli strike west of Gaza City, labeling the attack a cease‑fire breach [18].

Dec 21, 2025 – Video shows the IDF shooting 16‑year‑old Rayan Abu Mualla at point‑blank range in Qabatiya after he allegedly hurled a block at soldiers; the Palestinian Red Crescent reports troops blocked emergency responders [17].

Dec 24, 2025 – Netanyahu declares that Hamas violated the cease‑fire after an explosive wounded an Israeli officer in Rafah, warning of “appropriate” Israeli retaliation [29].

Dec 26, 2025 – A Palestinian attacker from Qabatiya carries out a rolling car‑ramming and stabbing spree in Beit She’an and Afula, killing two Israelis; Israel launches a West Bank operation targeting the suspect’s hometown [5][15][16].

Dec 27, 2025 – The United Nations reports a surge in West Bank violence, noting 240 Palestinian deaths in the previous year and a Gaza death toll exceeding 70,600 according to the Hamas‑run health ministry [5].

Dec 29, 2025 – A senior Israeli security source tells journalists that the IDF now regards the Hamas‑reported Gaza death toll of over 70,000 as “largely accurate,” marking a shift from earlier Israeli skepticism [2].

Jan 8, 2026 – Israeli air strikes kill eight people in Gaza, including four children; a drone hits a tent shelter for displaced families, while the fragile cease‑fire remains under mutual accusations of breach [4].

Jan 9, 2026 – Thirteen Palestinians are killed in Israeli strikes; the U.S. signals that President Trump will announce a “Board of Peace” next week to oversee the cease‑fire, reconstruction, and Hamas disarmament [14].

Jan 13, 2026 – An Israeli drone strike near the Morag corridor kills three Palestinians who had crossed the cease‑fire line; the attack occurs as Gaza awaits the formal announcement of a technocratic Board of Peace that will replace Hamas’s government [13].

Jan 21, 2026 – Israeli forces kill three journalists (Mohammed Qashta, Anas Ghneim, Abdul Raouf Shaat) in al‑Zahra while claiming they targeted Hamas‑linked drone operators; the same day, eleven Palestinians—including two 13‑year‑olds and three journalists—are killed in separate incidents, marking one of the deadliest days since the cease‑fire [3][12].

Jan 24, 2026 – Father Yusuf Zawara kneels over his dead 15‑year‑old son in Shifa Hospital’s morgue, pleading “He’s sleeping… He’ll wake up now,” after an Israeli missile kills the boy and his cousin while they gather firewood [11].

Jan 31, 2026 – Israeli air strikes across Gaza kill at least 32 Palestinians, including children, in the deadliest single‑day toll since early November; the IDF says the attacks respond to a Hamas breach in Rafah, while U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff announces the start of phase two of the peace plan to establish a technocratic Palestinian government and begin reconstruction [1][10].

Feb 1, 2026 – Fifteen‑year‑old Nabil Safiya is shot dead in Kafr Yasif in a mistaken‑identity killing, sparking mass protests in Tel Aviv and Arab towns demanding police action; the incident highlights a surge in violence against Israel’s Arab citizens, with 252 Palestinian citizens killed in 2025 [9].

Feb 4, 2026 – Israeli air strikes kill 23 Gazan civilians, including three children, targeting Hamas commander Bilal Abu Assi; Israel partially reopens the Rafah crossing for limited patient travel, allowing 45 people to cross on Feb 3 and a bus of returnees on Feb 4 [28].

Feb 5, 2026 – Gaza’s health ministry reports 556 Palestinian deaths since the October 2025 cease‑fire, while the U.N.‑backed 20‑point plan remains stalled on Hamas disarmament and international security force deployment; former senior Hamas cadre Ahmed Youssef (76) declares in a tent on Al‑Mawassi beach that “the armed struggle has failed” [30][8].

Feb 6, 2026 – Twenty‑four Palestinian bodies arrive at Gaza hospitals, prompting Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiya to ask on Facebook, “Where is the ceasefire? Where are the mediators?” [8].

Feb 18‑19, 2026 – As Ramadan begins under a fragile cease‑fire, Gaza family Waleed al Zamli describes life in tents with no happiness, relying on a charity kitchen for their first iftar; the war has killed over 72,000 Palestinians and displaced most residents [7].

Feb 19‑20, 2026 – Nineteen‑year‑old Palestinian‑American Nasrallah Abu Siyam is shot dead by Israeli settlers in Mukhmas, West Bank; the U.S. embassy condemns the killing, marking him the second Palestinian American killed by settlers in less than a year [6][20].

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