Family of Philadelphia-born teen killed in West Bank urges national investigation

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Relatives of a 19-year-old Palestinian American from Philadelphia who was shot and killed in the West Bank are calling for a national investigation into his death, saying U.S. officials must demand accountability.

Family members of Nasrallah Abu Siyam, along with local leaders, said Thursday they want federal authorities to examine the circumstances surrounding the Feb. 18 shooting.

Siyam, who was born in Philadelphia and spent his early childhood in the city, had moved to the West Bank as a young boy. It's a practice his cousin described as common among Palestinian American families.

A funeral procession was held in the West Bank as relatives in the U.S. pressed for answers.

"The State Department should act, and all of our elected officials here should be raising their voices in the face of this injustice," said Ahmet Tekelioglu of the Council on American Islamic Relations.

Siyam's family says he was helping a neighbor protect goats in his village when he was shot to death by Israeli settlers. They say they want the killing investigated and noted that other Palestinian Americans have died in the region without accountability.

"This is not the first Palestinian American killed, like five of them since February 2024. None of them have been investigated. None of them have been held accountable. None of them have been questioned," said cousin Abdelhamid Siyam.

In Philadelphia, City Councilmembers Rue Landau and Nicholas O'Rourke introduced a resolution calling for transparency and accountability as Siyam's relatives were recognized at City Hall.

"When an American citizen is killed abroad, there must be accountability," Landau said.

Some family members who traveled to the region for the funeral remain unable to return to Philadelphia because of airspace closures linked to the war in Iran. Those who are back in the U.S. say they are focused on seeking justice.

"We need to pressure. Starts with council level of Philadelphia, then the state level, then the country level, our congressmen," said cousin Sayel Kayed.

Relatives say they are also contacting lawmakers and pursuing a civil case.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice asking for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Siyam's death, saying his killing may have been a violation of U.S. law.