A seven-month-old Palestinian infant was killed after Israeli soldiers opened fire on a vehicle in the occupied West Bank on Friday, drawing widespread grief and renewed scrutiny over the use of force against civilians in the region.
Sam Fahd Abu Haikal was travelling with his parents, his 11-year-old brother and his grandmother in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron when soldiers opened fire on the car, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The gunfire killed the infant and wounded both his parents.
What Happened
The boy's father, Fahd Abu Haikal, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, described the moments before the shooting to Israeli newspaper Haaretz. "The soldier signalled me to stop. I brought the car to a complete halt and raised my hands on the steering wheel. Immediately afterwards, they opened fire on the vehicle."
A bullet struck Abu Haikal's hand before hitting his infant son, who was seated in the rear of the car with his mother. The family said they were travelling in broad daylight and insisted there was no reason for soldiers to misidentify them.
"The soldier was about 10 metres away from me. He saw me, he saw my wife and the children," Abu Haikal told Haaretz. "The windows were not tinted; it was broad daylight, and everything was clear. You can't say he didn't see that it was a family."
The boy's grandmother, Firyal Abu Haikal, told Reuters: "The incident is unbelievable and unacceptable. We are being harmed just because we decided to stay at our homes."
IDF Response
The Israel Defense Forces said soldiers "perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them" before a soldier "responded with single shots toward the vehicle." The IDF acknowledged that those injured were "uninvolved civilians" and said the incident is under review.
Earlier today, during operational activity in the area of Hebron, IDF soldiers perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 5, 2026
An IDF soldier responded with single shots toward the vehicle. As a result, three Palestinians were injured and evacuated for medical treatment.
An…
Calls For Accountability
The infant's funeral drew large crowds in the West Bank, with mourners carrying Palestinian flags and calling for justice.
Abu Haikal said he would not let the matter rest. "I demand and expect, if there is any conscience, any law, any morality, that the soldier who fired the shots will be held accountable for his actions. This case must not be closed without an investigation and without accountability."
Human rights organisations have urged Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the shooting.
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