Israeli Soldier Kills Seven-Month-Old Palestinian Infant in Occupied West Bank, Family Denounces Apology

The funeral of Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, a seven-month-old Palestinian baby, took place in Hebron after he was fatally shot by an Israeli soldier. The incident occurred while Sam was in a car with his family in the Tel Rumeida area of the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli military stated that a shot was fired because soldiers "perceived a threat" from the vehicle on Friday evening. However, the family maintains they obeyed orders to stop and presented no danger. Fahd, the infant's father, stated he raised his hands after halting the car, yet gunshots followed. "The bullet penetrated the front windshield, went through my arm, and then struck my son in the head and my wife in the face," he recounted.

Sam died from the wound in hospital; his mother is still receiving treatment. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has acknowledged the family as "uninvolved civilians" and expressed "deep sorrow," a sentiment swiftly rejected by Fahd. He argued that the firing of multiple bullets without warning could not be a mere mistake.

Tel Rumeida, an area in Hebron where Israeli settlers reside alongside Palestinian residents, is characterised by a heavy Israeli military presence. Since October 2023, the occupied West Bank has seen a severe escalation in deadly confrontations involving Palestinians, Jewish settlers, and Israeli soldiers. The Palestinian health ministry reports over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank during this period. In Gaza, the Israeli retaliatory operation has resulted in more than 70,600 deaths.