A seven-month-old Palestinian infant was killed after being struck by gunfire from Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Friday. The victim, identified as Sam Fahd Abu Haykal, was reportedly held in his mother’s arms when the shooting occurred. Family members and reports confirmed that the infant was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The parents also sustained gunshot wounds during the incident, which occurred in the Tel Rumeida area of the city.
According to the account provided by the father, Fahd Abu Haykal, the family was traveling by car when they were signaled by soldiers to pull over. The father stated that he came to a complete stop and raised his hands above the steering wheel to demonstrate they posed no threat. Despite this, he alleges that soldiers immediately opened fire. The father recounted that the initial shot struck his hand before penetrating the back seat, where the infant was cradled by his mother. An eleven-year-old sibling was also inside the vehicle during the shooting.
The family has emphasized that the area was well-lit and the nature of the vehicle as a civilian family car should have been clearly visible to the troops stationed nearby. In response to the tragedy, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement claiming that troops had suspected the vehicle was advancing toward them, which prompted the use of force. However, the military later confirmed that an internal investigation into the incident is underway and expressed regret for the harm caused to civilians.
Initial findings from the preliminary military inquiry suggest that those involved in the incident were not engaged in any violent activities or hostile actions. The family has called for a transparent and thorough investigation, demanding that those responsible be held accountable under the law. The death of the infant has sparked widespread condemnation, highlighting the escalating violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. International human rights organizations report that since the onset of the Gaza conflict, the death toll in the West Bank has exceeded one thousand, a significant portion of whom have been children and women, raising urgent concerns regarding the protection of civilians in the region.
