Ayyad's murder came, however, as Christian leaders in Gaza have called on Hamas officials to make greater efforts to protect Christians in light of the instability and lawlessness in Gaza following the Islamic group's takeover.
Previously, Christians were respected citizens and considered part of Gaza's elite as they ran schools, hospitals and businesses. The late Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, assigned Christians to top positions in the government and the Fatah movement.
Even after, the Hamas-led coalition government consisted of a prominent Gaza Christian, Hussam Tawil. Moreover, Hamas forces had protected Gaza's Greek Orthodox Church from angry Muslims after Pope Benedict XVI's comment on Islam.
Yet Muslim-Christian relations are reportedly unraveling as attacks against Christians continue despite Hamas' promises to protect the community.
According to his family and neighbours, Ayyad had regularly received anonymous death threats from people angry about his alleged missionary work.
Ayyad's store, the Teacher's Bookshop, sells Bibles and Christian literature and is run by a Baptist group, the Holy Bible Society, which is dedicated to projecting a Christian presence in the Muslim region.
In April, Ayyad's bookstore was firebombed during a wave of attacks by a shadowy Muslim "vice squad" on Internet cafes, music shops and other targets associated with Western influence.
Two days after the early-morning explosion, Palestinian Bible Society had announced that it was committed to reopening its doors despite the serious damage to the building. Furthermore, the Bible Society staff publicly stated that they forgive the attackers.
"There is so much love for the people of Gaza that it will take a huge amount of hate to quench the love the team has," the Palestinian Bible Society's executive director, Labib Madanat, reported after the bombing. "I don't think there will be enough hate to quench this love."
Following Ayyad's murder, Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, in a statement, condemned the killing and said Hamas "would not allow anyone to sabotage" Muslim-Christian relations.
Hamas also released a statement, calling Ayyad's death a "murderous crime" and claiming that Muslim-Christian relations "are very strong and will not be affected by such crimes committed by criminal elements."
Meanwhile, the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, said it had launched an investigation and promised that the crime "will not pass unpunished."
According to the Christian ministry Open Doors, Ayyad has left behind his two young children and wife, Pauline, who is five months pregnant.
