Israeli soldiers shot and killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron, occupied West Bank, on Friday. The baby, named Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was struck by a bullet while in his mother’s arms and later died in hospital. His parents were also injured in the incident. The Israeli military said soldiers opened fire believing a car was approaching them, but a preliminary investigation found the victims were civilians. The Israel Defense Forces expressed regret and said the matter was under review.

The baby’s father, Fahd Abu Haikal, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, rejected the military’s account, stating the car had stopped and his hands were raised when soldiers fired. He demanded accountability for what he described as a deliberate killing. The British Consulate in Jerusalem expressed condolences and called for a transparent investigation. The report also cited a similar March incident in the Jordan Valley and data from Israeli rights groups showing few prosecutions in such cases.

According to the United Nations, over 1,000 Palestinians, including at least 240 children, have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the war began.