Israeli troops shot and killed a 7-month-old Palestinian infant named Sam Fahd Abu Haikal on June 5, 2026, near Hebron in the West Bank while he was traveling with his family in a car, officials and witnesses said [1, 2, 3, 4]. The infant was critically wounded by a bullet that also struck his mother, and he died from his injuries [1, 2, 3]. His father, Fahd Abdul Aziz Abu Haikal, a Bethlehem University lecturer, was shot in the hand, and the mother remained in critical condition according to early reports [1, 2, 3, 4].
The incident occurred in the Tel Rumeida area south of Hebron City when Israeli soldiers opened fire at the car, reportedly because they perceived it to be accelerating toward them [1, 2, 3, 4]. The military said soldiers fired one or a few shots after feeling threatened by the vehicle [1, 3, 4]. However, the baby's family disputes this version, saying the shooting was deliberate and not an accident, with the car stopped and the occupants clearly visible. "I completely stopped the car, hands on the wheel, then they opened fire," the father said. "It's impossible they didn't see our family inside." [2, 3]
The baby's grandmother, who was in the car, described seeing the infant's face "bloodied and mutilated" and called the act horrifying. "What kind of soldier does this to a 7-month-old baby?" she asked [2, 3].
The Israeli military acknowledged the victims were unarmed civilians and announced a formal investigation by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division following an initial internal review [4]. Human rights groups note very low prosecution rates for soldiers accused of violence against Palestinians, under 1% in such cases [3].
Between October 2023 and June 2026, over 1,000 Palestinians including children have been killed in West Bank violence, while at least 46 Israelis have died in attacks or military actions since October 2023 [3, 4].
Sam Fahd Abu Haikal was buried on June 6, with the funeral attended by family and the local community. His body was wrapped in a white shroud topped by the Palestinian flag [2, 3]. On June 7, the Israeli military publicly confirmed the ongoing investigation into the shooting.
The shooting took place at about 10 meters from the soldiers. Three Palestinians were wounded in total during the incident, including the infant and his parents [1, 3]. The investigation and any potential legal proceedings are the next concrete steps following this fatal encounter [4].
