HEBRON, West Bank (AP) — Israeli troops opened fire on a vehicle in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the death of a seven-month-old Palestinian infant and injuries to his parents, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry. The bullet struck the boy in the face.
Incident Details
The Israeli military stated that soldiers fired at a car they believed was accelerating toward them near Hebron. A preliminary investigation indicated that the three wounded Palestinians were uninvolved civilians. Since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israeli military operations and settler violence against Palestinians have escalated in the territory.
The baby's father, Fahd Abu Haikal, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, recounted to the Associated Press that a bullet shattered the windshield, passed through his right hand, and then struck his son and wife in the back seat on Friday evening. Another bullet hit the hood, according to AP journalists who inspected the vehicle. The bullet traversed the face of Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, the infant.
“He was the entire world,” Haikal said of his son, who had just turned seven months old on Friday. The mother remains in critical condition with shrapnel near her heart.
Funeral and Demand for Justice
The baby's body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag, and his father carried him. Men placed the small bundle at their feet and bowed in prayer. The father demanded accountability. “At the end they tell you it was a mistake,” he said. “Nothing is called a mistake.”
The baby's grandmother, Feryal Abu Heikal, who was also in the car, said they were driving near a checkpoint and stopped upon seeing Israeli military vehicles and soldiers in the distance. She initially thought the gunfire was warning shots. “The scene was horrific to see a 7-month-old baby with a smashed face,” she said. “What kind of army in the world does this?”
Rare Accountability for Soldiers
Israeli soldiers accused of harming Palestinians are seldom penalized. According to Israeli rights group Yesh Din, fewer than 1% of cases based on 2,427 complaints alleging wrongdoing between 2016 and 2024 resulted in indictments. On Saturday, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that eight people were wounded in settler attacks on the town of Huwara, near Nablus, including from tear gas inhalation and rubber-coated metal bullets.
Israel's military said that riots broke out between Israelis and Palestinians, involving rocks and batons, after a reported livestock theft, and soldiers dispersed them. The military acknowledged footage showing a soldier using violence against a Palestinian and stated it was under review. Images appeared to show someone being thrown to the ground and beaten. Huwara has experienced numerous attacks in recent years; in February 2023, scores of Israeli settlers rampaged there, burning dozens of cars and homes after a Palestinian gunman killed two settlers.
Broader Context
The United Nations reported last month that over 1,000 Palestinians, including at least 240 children, have been killed in the West Bank and east Jerusalem since the Gaza war began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. More than 700,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in 1967 from Jordan and sought by Palestinians for a future state. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in these areas illegal and an obstacle to peace.
Gaza Strike and Ceasefire Talks
An Israeli strike on Saturday in Gaza City killed at least seven people, including two women, a girl, and her father, all from the same family, according to Shifa Hospital. Director Mohamed Abu Selmiya said a tent near the Rimal school was struck. Israel's military stated it attacked what it called militants in the area. Meanwhile, Hamas said negotiators chaired by Khalil al-Hayyah began a new round of talks in Cairo with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, aiming to break a deadlock and implement the Gaza ceasefire deal that took effect in October. Spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the talks focus on fully implementing the ceasefire's first phase and ending Israel's near-daily attacks. The fragile ceasefire began in October; while the heaviest fighting has subsided, the truce has seen almost daily Israeli fire. Nickolay Mladenov, head of the U.S.-created Board of Peace overseeing the ceasefire, acknowledged last month that the truce has stalled over the key issue of disarming Hamas. Qassem said the talks will discuss “approaches acceptable to all parties” to implement the second phase, including addressing weapons of Palestinian militant groups and the entry of an international stabilization force.
