Khamis Ayyad, a Palestinian-American man who raised his five children in Cicero, Illinois, tragically died this week in the West Bank, reportedly amidst an arson attack. His death has sparked profound grief and urgent calls for investigation from his family and community leaders in the Chicago area, shedding a stark light on the escalating tensions in the region.

About five years prior to this devastating incident, Ayyad, a devoted husband and father, relocated his family from the Chicago area to his native West Bank. Despite the move overseas, he continued to work remotely for an American company, maintaining strong ties to his roots in Illinois while embracing life in his homeland.

His family claims Ayyad was killed while bravely attempting to save lives from fires that were allegedly set by Israeli settlers in his family’s village in the middle of the night. This horrific “arson attack” underscores the volatile environment and the extreme dangers faced by residents in the area, leading to questions about accountability.

Following his death, mourners filled the streets of a West Bank town, carrying Ayyad’s body to his final resting place. The somber procession reflected the deep sorrow and collective anguish felt by his family and the wider community, marking a tragic end to a life dedicated to his family and community.

In response to the killing, Ayyad’s family in the Chicago area, alongside elected officials and representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), publicly expressed their pain and demanded justice. They called for a thorough “international investigation” into the death of a “US citizen abroad.”

Illinois State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid, District 21, corroborated the family’s account, stating that Ayyad died while trying to put out fires and was reportedly killed by smoke and tear gas fired by the Israeli military. These specific allegations highlight the contentious circumstances surrounding his demise and the need for clarity.

In the wake of the incident, ABC7 reportedly reached out to the Israeli Consul General and the State Department for comments but had not received a response. This lack of immediate official verification further complicates the narrative and fuels the urgency for an impartial inquiry into the events.

Ayyad’s death marks a grim statistic; he is at least the second American killed in the West Bank in July alone and the fifth since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, according to ABC News. This troubling pattern underscores the dangerous and escalating nature of the “Middle East conflict” and its far-reaching impact on “Palestinian-American” lives.