On October 14th, 2023, 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume was killed and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was critically wounded in a horrific stabbing by their landlord, allegedly because they were Muslim. Having moved to Illinois only 2 years ago, the Muslim Palestinian family has been devastated by what is now being investigated as a potential hate crime, as the authorities believe this attack was likely connected to the Israel-Hamas conflict that erupted just a week prior.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has shaken the world with the tragedies that have arisen from it. There are no winners in war, and we at National APAMSA grieve for all those who have lost so much and suffered so greatly from it. Indeed, increased reports of hate and violent threats against both Muslim and Jewish communities across the country have been pouring forth in just the past few days. We lament how the eruption of this conflict has sparked such hate and violence, and we condemn all acts of racially targeted attacks.

We strive to protect and uphold the health and safety of all our communities, and we absolutely do not tolerate any threats to those values. As news coverage continues to focus on this most pressing issue, we urge those in political offices and the media to proceed with caution so as not to inflame already mounting tensions that may exacerbate threats of violence. APAMSA condemns all forms of racism, and we look to our country’s leaders to do the same.

We offer our deepest condolences to Al-Fayoume’s family and all those in the Muslim and Arab American communities, and we hope Shahin will recover soon.