Washington, October 27 (RHC)-- The U.S. State Department has confirmed that a Palestinian teenager who was killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank was an American citizen. "The United States expresses its deepest condolences to the family of a U.S. citizen minor who was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces during clashes in Silwad on October 24th," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. She also called for a "speedy and transparent investigation."

U.S. officials would remain "closely engaged with the local authorities, who have the lead on this investigation," according to the spokeswoman.

Last Friday, Israeli troops killed Orwa Hammad, 14, during clashes near the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. Hammad was born in New Orleans and came to the West Bank at age six, one of his relatives said.

He was shot in the head after clashes erupted between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces in Silwad, located northeast of Ramallah. According to reports, several protesters also suffered injuries and a number of others were arrested during skirmishes with Israeli forces in and around the Palestinian city of al-Quds Jerusalem.

Tensions rose last week after Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian driver. Tel Aviv accused the man of deliberately ramming his car into a train station, but his family said it was a car accident.