The family of Khamis al-Ayyad, a Palestinian American who died last week as a result of an Israeli settler attack in the occupied West Bank, has called for an investigation into his death, amid a rising number of US citizens killed in the territory.
Ayyad, a 40-year-old father of five and Chicago resident, died from smoke inhalation on Thursday after Israeli settlers attacked the town of Silwad, outside Ramallah, setting homes and cars on fire. Ayyad fainted while trying to put out the fires, his brother said, and died on the way to the hospital.
He was the latest in a string of Palestinian Americans to have died in the West Bank: five US citizens have been killed there since 7 October 2023, and Ayyad was the second to die in July alone.
So far, no one has been held accountable for any of the deaths.
“The government should protect citizens, this is what is written on the American passport. Why do they do nothing when it comes to their own citizens who live in the West Bank?” said Ayyad’s brother, Anas al-Ayyad, 39.
Anas al-Ayyad said that he had contacted the US embassy, who promised him they would look into his brother’s death.
In a statement to the Guardian, a spokesperson for the US state department acknowledged the death of a US citizen in Silwad and said they were providing consular assistance to the family.
Members of the US House and Senate called for the Trump administration to pressure Israel to carry out an investigation and ensure accountability for the death of Ayyad and the other Americans killed by settlers in the West Bank.
“We are witnessing the deadly results of a pattern of complicity by the Netanyahu government and indifference from the US government. It’s clear that we must reinstate sanctions and demand justice – including independent, US-led investigations – in the killings of American citizens,” the Democratic senator of Maryland Chris Van Hollen told the Guardian.
The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair), and Illinois congressman Chuy Garcia, also demanded an investigation into Ayyad’s killing.
The killings come amid a wave of violence in the West Bank, where at least 1,013 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers since 7 October 2023.
Accountability for settlers who commit acts of violence against Palestinians is rare, particularly under Israel’s current rightwing government.
Last week, a famed Palestinian activist, Awdah Hathaleen, who helped make the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was shot to death during a settler attack south of Hebron. Sanctions had previously been put on the accused killer, Yinon Levy, by President Joe Biden but they were later lifted by Donald Trump.
Levy was placed under three days of house arrest and then later released, though he still might face charges. A video showed him working in the same spot where Hathaleen was shot the day after his release.
Senator Van Hollen said that Trump’s administration repeal of US sanctions against Israeli settlers has “sent a message that violent settlers can literally get away with murder”.
The attack on Silwad was carried out around 2.30 in the morning by about 10 Israeli settlers. People rushed outside to try to put out the fires in the houses and cars that were set alight by settlers, but were met with teargas shot by the Israeli army, Raed Hamed, the mayor of Silwad, said.
“This is not the first attack by the settlers. The settlers want to send a message: There is no safe place for Palestinians to live,” said Hamed.
The Israeli military acknowledged the attack, but said they were unable to identify the suspects. Israeli police said it had launched an investigation into the incident.
The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, called for an investigation into the killing of 20-year-old Sayfollah “Saif” Musallet, who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers earlier in July. He also visited the town of Taybeh in mid-July, a community with many US citizens that had recently witnessed Israeli attacks against its churches.
Ayyad’s family say they want action from the government, not just words.
“If it wasn’t for those settlers attacking us in the middle of the night, my brother would not have died. The United States should take solid action to defend its citizens against attacks by anyone,” said Anas.
