Joe Biden has condemned the killing of a Muslim child in the US as a “horrific act of hate”.

The child, who suffered 26 stab wounds, died in hospital on Saturday. His 32-year-old mother is expected to survive, according to a statement from the Will County Sheriff’s Office in (northeastern) Illinois, which described the attack as “brutal.”

“Investigators were able to determine that the suspect targeted the two victims in this violent attack because they were Muslim and because of the ongoing conflict between Hamas and the Israelis in the Middle East.” The report said the killing occurred about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Chicago.

In a statement released on Sunday, Mr. Biden confirmed the woman was the boy’s mother and said it was theirs “Palestinian Muslim family comes to America, seeking what we all seek: a haven to live, learn and pray in peace.”

“This heinous act of hate has no place in America and goes against our core values: freedom to worship without fear, freedom to believe and freedom to exist.” The President of the United States added.

According to the sheriff’s office, the mother was able to call 911 while struggling with 71-year-old Joseph Chuba.

During the post-mortem, 15 cm from the child’s abdomen.

“Our Worst Nightmare”

Upon arrival, police found Joseph Chuba sitting near the entrance of the house where the attack took place, with a wound on his forehead. He was taken to hospital for treatment before being charged with murder, attempted murder and two counts of hate crime.

“Deputies located both victims in a bedroom inside the residence. Both victims had multiple stab wounds to the chest, torso and upper extremities.” cites the sheriff’s press release.

Ahmed Rehab, head of the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told reporters that the assailant knocked on the victim’s door and first tried to choke the woman: “You Muslims must die” Citing text messages from the woman’s hospital bed to the murdered boy’s father.

This attack “Our Worst Nightmare”CAIR underscored in a press release.

The war between Israel and Hamas has been raging since a bloody and unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7 against Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Palestinian Islamic Movement, has killed thousands on both sides, mostly civilians. .