In Hebron, West Bank, Israeli troops are reported to have killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby boy, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, while opening fire on his parents’ vehicle on Friday evening. The incident occurred in the Tel Rumeida area, where the Palestinian health ministry confirmed the child's death and injuries to his parents.
According to reports from WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, the baby was critically injured by a bullet that struck his face, which had also penetrated his mother’s face. Sam's father, Fahd Abu Haikal, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, was shot in the hand during the incident. They were en route from Bethlehem to visit family in Hebron when Israeli soldiers began firing at their vehicle.
The Israeli military has intensified its operations in the West Bank following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, leading to a significant escalation in violence. Since the beginning of hostilities, over 72,900 Palestinians have reportedly died as a result of Israeli retaliatory actions in Gaza, according to data from Gaza's Health Ministry, which is considered reliable by international organizations.
In a recent statement, the United Nations indicated that more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the outbreak of war, with at least 240 of those casualties being children. The health ministry has tallied 49 deaths just since the start of the current year.
In response to the shooting that killed baby Sam, the Israeli military reported that an initial investigation suggested that those injured were civilians uninvolved in any hostilities, and the situation is currently under review. The military claimed soldiers fired at a vehicle that was perceived to be accelerating towards them, stating that they employed controlled fire, resulting in injuries to three Palestinians who were immediately evacuated for medical care.
At Al-Ahly Hospital in Hebron, Fahd Abu Haikal recounted the traumatic experience, explaining that the bullet breached the car's windshield before striking him and then affecting his son and wife. He described the details of the injury, highlighting the severity of his child's wounds, which resulted in shrapnel being lodged near his wife’s heart. The mother remains in critical condition and has yet to be informed that her infant son has died.
The baby's grandmother, Feryal Abu Heikal, was present during the shooting and conveyed her horror at the sight of her grandson. She initially thought the gunfire was warning shots but realized the severity of the situation as they were hit. Her remarks reflected a deep sense of loss and disbelief, questioning the moral implications of such an act by military forces.
The funeral for baby Sam is expected to take place later on Saturday. This incident follows a pattern of violence where Israeli soldiers have previously shot at vehicles carrying families in the West Bank, resulting in multiple fatalities, including children. According to the Israeli rights group Yesh Din, there is a minimal rate of accountability for soldiers accused of wrongdoing, with fewer than 1% of over 2,400 complaints resulting in indictments between 2016 and 2024.
Currently, more than 700,000 Israelis reside in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas annexed by Israel in the 1967 conflict and claimed by Palestinians as part of their future state. The ongoing cycle of violence and loss continues to have devastating effects on families and communities in the region.
