By Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US State Department on Monday expressed devastation over the killing of a Palestinian-American teen in the occupied West Bank and called for an "urgent" investigation.
"We are devastated about" the killing of 17-year-old Tawfiq Ajaq, Spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters during his briefing.
"We continue to engage closely with the Government of Israel to ascertain as much information as possible and we have called for an urgent investigation to determine the circumstance of his death and accountability," said Patel.
Patel also reiterated the US calls to avoid escalation and violence in West Bank, adding that the US embassy in Jerusalem and Chief of the US Office of Palestinian affairs, George Noll, have been in touch with Jabbar's family.
Ajaq was killed on Friday by the Israeli army near the town of Al-Mazraa Al-Sharqiya, east of Ramallah, according to the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA. It said he was shot in the head and was taken to a hospital where he died.
Israeli police said Saturday that it was investigating the shooting.
Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7.
At least 370 Palestinians have since been killed and nearly 4,200 injured in the West Bank since Oct. 9, according to Palestinian officials.
In the Gaza Strip, at least 25,295 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 63,000 injured, said Palestinian health authorities.