TAMPA – Saif Musallet, a U.S. citizen and Tampa resident, was killed on Friday during a trip to the West Bank, according to his family and Palestinian health officials.
His relatives say he was camping with two other men on Friday night when a group of Israeli settlers attacked them.
“He just went overseas to see his mom and family, just going to the mountains with his friends, enjoying life,” said Rassim Musallet, Saif’s uncle.
Saif and one of the other men died. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that Saif died from injuries sustained in the assault.
The U.S. State Department confirmed it is aware of reports involving the death of a U.S. citizen in the West Bank, and the Israeli government said it is looking into what it described as “a violent confrontation involving Palestinians and Israeli civilians.”
The backstory:
Born and raised in Port Charlotte, Florida, Saif Musallet moved to Tampa with big dreams.
Just over a year ago, he and his family purchased an ice cream shop in North Tampa, where he quickly became known for his warm demeanor and dreams of expanding into a chain of businesses.
What they’re saying:
“He was extremely intelligent. He was extremely kind. You simply could not be sad around him,” said Mary McFarland-Santiago, a friend and coworker.
His uncle, Rassim, described him as a selfless young man full of positive energy. “He always cared for someone else before himself,” he said.
Saif’s trip to the West Bank was meant to be a time to reconnect with loved ones — and possibly meet someone he could one day marry. His heart, however, remained in Tampa, where he hoped to grow his business footprint.
The other side:
The Israeli government has not yet confirmed who was responsible for the deaths. Officials described the incident as a “violent confrontation involving Palestinians and Israeli civilians.” No charges have been filed, and the matter remains under investigation.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank — which the United Nations considers illegal — have become increasingly contentious under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pro-settler government. Attacks and confrontations between settlers and Palestinians have escalated in recent months.
The other side:
Saif Musallet’s death adds to the growing list of Palestinian-American casualties in the West Bank, underscoring the increasing danger for civilians — including U.S. citizens — caught in the middle of intensifying regional violence.
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By the numbers:
Three Palestinian-American teenagers have been killed in the West Bank in the past two years. Israel captured the West Bank in 1967 during the Six-Day War.
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The Source: This story is based on firsthand interviews with Saif Musallet’s family and friends in Tampa and the West Bank, information from the Palestinian Health Ministry, public statements from the U.S. State Department and Israeli officials, and archived video content from FOX 13 News. Reporting by Craig Patrick.
