A seven-month-old Palestinian baby was killed on Friday when Israeli soldiers opened fire on a vehicle in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. The victim, identified as Sam Abu Haikal, was traveling in a car with his parents and brother when the incident occurred in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood. According to Al Jazeera, the child was killed instantly after a bullet pierced the windshield of the vehicle.
Fahd Abu Haikal, the father of the child, was driving his family to deliver his mother home following a brief stay in Bethlehem. As they approached Tel Rumeida, an area with a heavy presence of Israeli settlers and military forces, a group of soldiers appeared in the road. Fahd stopped the vehicle and raised his hands, signaling that they posed no threat. Despite these efforts, a soldier reportedly took aim and fired at the vehicle.
The bullet traveled through Fahd’s hand before striking the infant, Sam, in the face. The same projectile then struck the child’s mother, Dania Salameh, causing severe injury to her jaw. Doctors have confirmed that a fragment of the bullet remains lodged near her heart. Medical professionals have opted against surgery, citing the high risk of endangering her life by operating so close to a major artery.
Fahd reported that the soldiers withdrew from the scene immediately following the shooting without offering any medical assistance. He was forced to flag down a passing civilian vehicle to transport his wife and son to the hospital. Due to the critical condition of his wife, Fahd waited until the following day to break the news that their son had not survived.
Hebron remains one of the most volatile environments in the West Bank. Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have significantly tightened restrictions in and around the city, particularly near the Ibrahimi Mosque and various settlement outposts. Families residing in Tel Rumeida have described their daily existence as effectively living in an open-air prison, fearing for their safety and the potential seizure of their homes.
Fahd intends to pursue legal action against the soldier responsible for the fatal shot, though he expressed little optimism regarding accountability. He noted that soldiers confiscated security camera footage from the vicinity of the incident shortly after the shooting occurred. His eldest son, 11-year-old Kinan, is reportedly struggling with the profound trauma of losing his brother. The family’s tragedy has underscored the escalating violence in the West Bank, where incidents of gunfire targeting Palestinian civilians, including children, have become a recurring feature of life under military occupation.
