American woman killed in shooting at protest in Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian doctors say

Nablus, West Bank — An American woman was shot and killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday, two doctors told The Associated Press. Dr. Ward Basalat said that the 26-year-old woman was shot in the head and died after arriving at the hospital.

Witnesses and Palestinian media reported that the woman was shot by Israeli troops while attending a pro-Palestinian demonstration against settlement expansion in the northern West Bank.

Dr. Fouad Naffa, the head of the hospital, also confirmed the death of an American citizen.

The Israeli military didn’t immediately comment on the shooting. CBS News is seeking comment from U.S. officials. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces told CBS News it was are aware of reports and was looking into them.  

Violence has increased dramatically in the West Bank since Hamas, which ruled over the smaller Palestinian Territory, the Gaza Strip, launched its Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, sparking the ongoing war in Gaza.

The Palestinian news agency Wafa said the woman was an activist who had been taking part in a protest campaign aimed at protecting Palestinian farmers from attacks by Israeli settlers, which have risen sharply since October.

Some 700,000 Israelis lived in settlements scattered across the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, as of late last year, but new, smaller “outposts” have been popping up rapidly. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, but they’ve been encouraged by the current Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to data compiled by the Palestinian health ministry in the territory, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 661 Palestinians in the West Bank since October. 

Israeli officials say at least 23 Israelis, including members of the security forces, have been killed in attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank during the same period.

The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says more than 2,300 people have been displaced from their homes during 2024 alone due to “the demolition of Palestinian-owned structures” across the West Bank.

contributed to this report.