Palestinians worldwide watch now as the conflict in Israel centers on Gaza, with thousands of civilians injured and more than 1,500 killed by airstrikes in the conflict.

Malek Deib grew up in the West Bank and moved to the United States as a child with his family.

He now lives in Bay Shore and is a business owner and professor on Long Island. Deib says he unfortunately feels like the tension has been building up for quite some time.

The majority of his family still lives in the West Bank.

Even though they're far from the main conflict in Gaza, he says violence continues to flare up there as well.

"There's a tremendous amount of concern and fear of what could happen next because it feels like things are just escalating,” said Deib. “They're getting worse and worse and worse. It's not getting better. And especially now, and unfortunately this anger is growing on both sides."

As more distressing images from the region play out, Deib says he feels a deep anger, but also sadness.

He tells News 12 that it's too early to be optimistic about an end to the conflict, but he says people on both sides of the conflict all have one main goal.

"Even those who are fighting on the ground, I think deep down this is what they would all want, is just to kind of see an end to all hostilities and have some kind of just peace,” he said. “And not just peace, it would be nice to have a just peace, right? Some kind of a just resolution."

Deib’s family is safe right now thankfully, but, as he said before, each day brings a new fear over what could happen next.