U.S. teen fatally shot in West Bank by Israeli forces, Palestinian officials say

A Palestinian-American teenager was shot and killed Friday by Israeli troops in the West Bank, Palestinian officials told Reuters.

The 17-year-old boy was shot during clashes with Israeli forces, the victim’s uncle told Reuters.

A State Department spokesperson would only confirm to CBS News that a U.S. citizen had died in the West Bank, adding that “we are working to understand the circumstances of the incident and have asked the government of Israel for further information.”

According to Wafa, the Palestinian National Authority’s official news agency, the boy was shot in the head.

Wafa reported that the shooting occurred in a small Palestinian town east of Ramallah.

Tensions in the West Bank have surged since Hamas launched its bloody Oct. 7 terrorist attack on southern Israel, sparking the Israel-Hamas war.