The relatives of a U.S. citizen who was tragically killed during a settler attack in the occupied West Bank are demanding that the Trump administration launch an investigation into the incident.
Khamis Ayyad, 40, lost his life in Silwad, a town located just north of Ramallah on Thursday. His family confirmed on Friday that he was an American citizen, emphasizing the need for justice in this case.
Ayyad, a father of five and former resident of Chicago, marked the second American casualty in the West Bank this July. Earlier this month, another U.S. citizen, 20-year-old Sayfollah Musallet, was beaten to death in nearby Sinjil.
Accompanying Ayyad’s family, William Asfour, operations coordinator for the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), labeled the incident as “murder.”
“We demand a full investigation from the Department of Justice,” Asfour asserted. “An American citizen has been killed—where’s the accountability?”
According to Mahmoud Issa, Ayyad’s cousin, settlers set vehicles ablaze outside Ayyad’s home early Thursday morning. Ayyad attempted to extinguish the flames, only to find himself caught in a situation where the Israeli military began deploying tear gas.
The family believes Ayyad succumbed to inhaling the toxic fumes from the gas and the smoke from the burning cars.
‘How Many More?’
Incidents of settler violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank have been on the rise, particularly following the Israeli offensive in Gaza that began in October 2023, which U.S. officials have described as “terrorism.”
Israeli settlers have been increasingly aggressive, often invading Palestinian neighborhoods and setting fire to residences and vehicles, usually with military protection. This military support has allowed them to act with impunity toward Palestinians attempting to intervene.
The Israeli military has also escalated its operations in the West Bank, encompassing deadly raids, demolitions of homes, and displacement of residents.
This past month, the Knesset approved a motion advocating for the annexation of the West Bank, which two Israeli ministers referred to as “a moment of opportunity” for consolidating “Israeli sovereignty” in the region.
Meanwhile, the military assault on Gaza has drawn widespread condemnation, with human rights organizations claiming it equates to genocide.
Asfour from CAIR-Chicago highlighted that Ayyad’s death signifies a troubling trend. “Another American was killed in the West Bank just weeks earlier,” he noted, referencing Musallet’s death. “How many more will it take for the U.S. to act on behalf of its citizens abroad? Settlers are burning homes, military forces back them up, yet our government continues to provide substantial funding.”
The U.S. Department of State had not responded to inquiries from Al Jazeera at the time of publication.
No Arrests in Musallet’s Case
Just last month, Musallet’s family also called for a U.S. investigation into his killing, yet the U.S. government has largely resisted these demands, maintaining that Israeli authorities can best investigate their own military actions and settler activities.
Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, urged Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into Musallet’s murder, stating, “There must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act.”
However, over three weeks later, no arrests have been made. Since 2022, at least 10 U.S. citizens have lost their lives at the hands of Israeli soldiers or settlers, with none seeing legal repercussions.
Ayyad’s tragic death coincided with the ongoing detention of U.S. teenager Mohammed Ibrahim, who has been imprisoned without trial since February. His family has reported that his health is deteriorating, with significant weight loss and a skin infection.
On Friday, Illinois State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid decried Ayyad’s death as part of an ongoing “ugly pattern of settler colonial violence” in Palestine, calling for the repeal of an Illinois law that penalizes organizations participating in boycotts of Israeli firms.
“We need action. Here in Illinois, we have a law that punishes companies for choosing to boycott Israel,” Rashid stated. “This unacceptable law helps shield Israel from facing consequences for its violence.”