American-Israeli killed in the West Bank as violence grows

• Elan Ganeles, 26, was killed in a car attack on a highway near Jericho.
• A Palestinian shot dead two settlers from a nearby village.
• Israeli and Palestinian officials promised to de-escalate tensions.

An Israeli American has been shot and killed in the occupied West Bank, as retaliatory unrest escalates.

Elan Ganeles, 26, was killed in a car attack on a highway near Jericho. The shooting occurred after Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages in the West Bank on Sunday night, torching dozens of cars and houses. on Sunday, a Palestinian shot dead two settlers from a nearby village.

Ganeles was taken to a hospital in Jerusalem by paramedics, but he was later pronounced dead. US Ambassador Tom Nides posted on Twitter: “Sadly, I can confirm that a US citizen was killed in one of the terror attacks in the West Bank tonight. I pray for his family.”

According to the Israel Defense Forces, attackers opened fire on Israeli vehicles three times before setting fire to their own vehicles. The attackers exchanged fire with police before fleeing, according to the IDF. no Palestinian organisations immediately claimed responsibility. The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip but is less visible in the West Bank, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was a natural response to Israeli attacks.

Videos posted hours after the summit ended on Sunday showed a large crowd of Israeli settlers lighting fires and throwing stones in the village of Hawara, about 4 miles (6 kilometres) south of Nablus.

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Sameh Aqtash, 37, died after being shot in the stomach during a settlers’ attack in Zaatara on Sunday night, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

This area of the West Bank is completely under Israeli control, and Palestinians have been critical of Israeli security forces for failing to protect them. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he held the Israeli government fully responsible for what he called “the terrorist acts carried out by Israeli settlers, under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces”.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, appealed for calm and urged settlers to allow the Israeli military and security forces to focus on finding the gunman who killed the two Israelis.

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