Israeli forces fatally shot a 7-month-old Palestinian baby, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, on Friday evening in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred as his family drove through the Tel Rumeida area near Hebron City, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The parents were also wounded.
Sam's father, Fahd Abu Haikal, 41, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, told Associated Press a bullet hit the windshield, struck his hand, entered his son's face, passed through his wife's face, with shrapnel lodging near her heart. Officials at Al-Ahly Hospital told the family she is in critical condition and unaware her son is dead. The child turned 7 months old on the day of his death.
The Israeli military acknowledged the incident, with a spokesperson stating soldiers perceived an accelerating vehicle and responded with single shots. Initial findings indicated the injured were uninvolved civilians, the Israel Defense Forces said, expressing sorrow and noting the incident is under review.
The British consulate in Jerusalem condemned the killing, urging an immediate and transparent investigation.
This is the latest in a violent escalation across the West Bank since the October 7 attack. The UN reports over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and east Jerusalem since the war started, including 240 children. Israeli soldiers are rarely indicted in such incidents.