The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights organization in the US, condemned the attack, attributing it to anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian sentiments fueled by the ongoing israel-Palestine conflict.

The Will County’s Sheriff’s Office reported that the boy, Wadea Al-Fayoume, was stabbed 26 times, while his mother sustained over a dozen stab wounds. She is currently in recovery and expected to survive.

The perpetrator, identified as Joseph Czuba, 71, has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and two counts of a hate crime.

The incident has sparked concerns about the rise of Islamophobic rhetoric and anti-Palestinian racism in various sectors. (ILKHA)