A seven-month-old Palestinian baby died after Israeli soldiers opened fire on his family’s car in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian health officials reported.
Sam Fahd Abu Haikal lost his life Friday night when troops shot at the family vehicle in the Tel Rumeida region near Hebron City, the Palestinian health ministry announced. Both parents sustained injuries in the incident.
According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, the baby suffered critical wounds when a bullet struck his jaw – the same round that wounded his mother. He succumbed to his injuries at a medical facility. His father, Fahd Abdul Aziz Abu Haikal, who teaches at Bethlehem University, was shot in the hand. The family was traveling from Bethlehem to see relatives in Hebron when soldiers began shooting, the agency stated.
Israeli military operations in the West Bank have intensified following the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, sparking the current Gaza conflict. Israel’s military response has led to over 72,900 Palestinian fatalities, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports. The ministry operates under Hamas leadership but is considered credible by United Nations organizations and independent analysts.
United Nations officials stated last month that more than 1,000 Palestinians have died in the West Bank and east Jerusalem since fighting began, with at least 240 being children. Forty-nine people have been killed since January, according to the organization.
The baby’s burial service is scheduled for Saturday.
Military officials said preliminary findings indicate the wounded were uninvolved civilians and the matter remains under investigation.
Israeli forces stated Friday that troops fired at a car they believed was speeding toward their position in the Hebron vicinity. They reported using targeted shots, injuring three Palestinians who received medical care.
Last March, Israeli troops shot at a family vehicle in the northern West Bank, resulting in four deaths including two minors, the Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry reported.
Israeli personnel accused of harming Palestinians face prosecution in less than 1% of cases, with indictments occurring in under 1% of 2,427 misconduct allegations filed between 2016 and 2024, Israeli rights organization Yesh Din found.
Over 700,000 Israelis reside in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, areas Israel seized from Jordan in 1967 that Palestinians seek for their future nation.
