Israeli forces kill infant and wound parents in Hebron amid escalating West Bank violence
The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed the death of seven-month-old Sam Fahd Abou Haikal, while the Israeli military described the injured parties as uninvolved civilians following an operational incident in the occupied territory.
Israeli soldiers shot and killed a seven-month-old Palestinian boy and wounded his parents in Hebron on Friday, intensifying scrutiny of military conduct in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that the infant, Sam Fahd Abou Haikal, died from injuries sustained after forces opened fire on their vehicle. Dr Tareq Barbarawi confirmed to the AFP news agency that the child was transported to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain contested between the involved parties. Ferial Abu Haikal, the infant’s grandmother, told the Wafa news agency that the family was “surprised” by the gunfire because their vehicle was “completely stopped” at the time. She asserted that there was “no danger or justification for firing” given the stationary nature of the car.
In contrast, the Israeli military provided a different account of the events. In a statement posted on X, the military said that during an “operational activity,” soldiers “perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them.” The military reported that soldiers responded with “single shots toward the vehicle,” resulting in three Palestinians being injured and evacuated for medical treatment.
Following the incident, the Israeli military conducted an initial inquiry which determined that the injured parties were “uninvolved civilians.” The military stated that the incident is currently under review, a standard procedure for incidents involving the use of force by security forces in the region.
The shooting occurs against a backdrop of heightened violence in the West Bank since Israel began its war on Gaza in October 2023. According to an AFP tally based on data from the Palestinian Health Ministry, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 1,080 Palestinians in the region during this period. The Hebron incident adds to the growing body of reports concerning civilian casualties in the occupied territory.
