The family of Khamis al-Ayyad, a Palestinian American who died last week after an Israeli settler attack in the occupied West Bank, has called for a US-led investigation into his death. Ayyad, 40, a father of five from Chicago, died from smoke inhalation on Thursday after settlers set homes and cars alight in the town of Silwad, near Ramallah. He fainted while trying to extinguish the fires and died en route to hospital, his brother said.
Anas al-Ayyad, the victim's brother, said he contacted the US embassy, which promised to look into the death. The US State Department confirmed the death of a US citizen and said it was providing consular assistance. US lawmakers, including Senator Chris Van Hollen, have called for the Trump administration to press Israel for an investigation. The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and Illinois congressman Chuy Garcia also demanded accountability.
Ayyad is the fifth US citizen killed in the West Bank since 7 October 2023, and the second this month. No one has been held accountable for any of the deaths. The attack on Silwad occurred around 2.30am when about 10 settlers set homes and cars on fire. Residents who tried to intervene were met with teargas from the Israeli army, according to Silwad's mayor, Raed Hamed. The Israeli military acknowledged the attack but said it could not identify the suspects; Israeli police said they had launched an investigation.
'The government should protect its citizens,' said Anas al-Ayyad. 'Why do they do nothing when it comes to their own citizens who live in the West Bank?' He added: 'If it wasn't for those settlers attacking us in the middle of the night, my brother would not have died.' Senator Van Hollen criticised the US repeal of sanctions against Israeli settlers, saying it 'sent a message that violent settlers can literally get away with murder'.
