Israeli soldier shooting kills 7‑month‑old baby in Hebron

On June 5, an Israeli Defense Forces soldier opened fire on a family vehicle that had stopped near a checkpoint in Hebron, West Bank. A bullet pierced the windshield and struck 7‑month‑old Sam Abu Haikal in the head, killing him.

The family says the car was slowing and stopped when the soldier fired, contradicting an Israeli statement that the vehicle was accelerating. Video obtained by human‑rights group B’Tselem shows the soldier firing from less than 10 metres away, then walking away without providing medical aid.

The incident is the 13th child death recorded by B’Tselem in the occupied West Bank this year and part of a total of 236 children killed by Israeli forces since the Oct 7 conflict began. Israeli authorities have opened an investigation, though disciplinary action in similar cases has been rare. The family is demanding justice for Sam.