In the Tel Rumeida area, south of Hebron, a seven‑month‑old Palestinian infant, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was reported dead by the Palestinian health ministry after Israeli forces opened fire. The baby’s parents were also injured. The incident occurred in the context of heightened tensions as the Gaza‑Israel conflict has drawn over 70,000 casualties in Gaza and more than 1,000 deaths in the West Bank.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, the infant was struck by a bullet that also injured the mother and grazed the father's finger. The father was taken to a hospital. The grandmother recounted that the family had stopped in front of Israeli military vehicles; shots were fired, initially perceived as warning shots, before a soldier fired several single shots toward the moving vehicle.
Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) released a statement saying its troops perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them. One soldier responded with “single shots” toward the vehicle. The IDF added that three Palestinians were injured and treated, and the incident is under review. The military expressed “deep sorrow for any harm caused to uninvolved individuals.”
The Gaza conflict, which began on 7 October after a Hamas‑led attack on Israel, has claimed more than 1,200 lives and 251 abductions in the initial assault. According to a Hamas‑run health ministry, over 70,600 Israelis were killed in subsequent attacks on Gaza. The West Bank has seen over 1,000 Palestinian casualties since the start of hostilities.
Statements from both sides underline the tragic human cost of the current conflict, with civilians—especially children—bearing the brunt. The incident has prompted calls for increased safeguards for vulnerable populations in the West Bank.
