Israeli Soldiers Kill 7-Month-Old As They Fire On Car In Hebron
Israeli soldiers killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, on Friday, June 5, 2026, in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron after troops opened fire on the family's car.[1]
Father Fahd Abu Haikal, a Bethlehem University lecturer, said a bullet pierced the windshield, then his right hand, then the baby's face or head, and then struck the child's mother, who is in critical condition.[1] The Israel Defense Forces said soldiers believed the vehicle was accelerating toward them at a checkpoint-like position, that a single soldier then fired multiple rounds, and that the incident has been referred to the military police investigative unit.[2]
The car was reportedly driving home from visiting relatives when soldiers opened fire in Tel Rumeida, Hebron.[2] Sam Fahd Abu Haikal turned seven months old on the day he was killed, Palestinian officials said.[1] Diplomatic missions, including the British Consulate in Jerusalem, called for an immediate, transparent investigation and accountability.[2]
Rights group Yesh Din pointed out that soldiers were indicted in fewer than 1% of 2,427 complaints alleging harm to Palestinians between 2016 and 2024, a statistic cited amid calls for accountability.[1] On the same day, the Palestinian Red Crescent said it recorded eight people wounded in settler-related violence in the nearby town of Huwara.[1]
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- The shooting occurred on Friday, June 5, 2026 (Central), in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron as the family's car was reportedly driving home from visiting relatives (Tel Rumeida area of Hebron).
- The infant killed was identified as Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, who turned seven months old on Friday, June 5, 2026 (Central) (Sam Fahd Abu Haikal).
- The father, Bethlehem University lecturer Fahd Abu Haikal, said a bullet pierced the windshield, then his right hand, then the baby's face/head, and then struck his wife; AP journalists also reported seeing an additional bullet strike on the car's hood (Fahd Abu Haikal).
- Palestinian medical officials and the Palestinian Health Ministry say one bullet passed through the father's hand, then through the infant's head or face and into the mother's face; the parents were wounded and the mother is in critical condition with shrapnel close to her heart (Palestinian Health Ministry).
- The Israel Defense Forces said soldiers believed the vehicle was accelerating toward them at a checkpoint-like position, that a single soldier fired multiple rounds, and that the family were uninvolved civilians; the IDF referred the shooting to its military police investigative unit for formal inquiry (Israel Defense Forces).
- The British Consulate in Jerusalem and other foreign missions called for an independent, transparent investigation and accountability over the killing (British Consulate in Jerusalem).
- As context for concerns about accountability, Israeli rights group Yesh Din says soldiers were indicted in fewer than 1% of 2,427 complaints alleging harm to Palestinians between 2016 and 2024 (Yesh Din).
- The same-day context included a report that the Palestinian Red Crescent recorded eight people wounded in settler-related violence in Huwara on Saturday, June 6, 2026 (Central) (Palestinian Red Crescent).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article confirms the infant's full name as Sam Fahd Abu Haikal and notes he turned seven months old on Friday, June 5, 2026, the day he was killed.
- The father, Bethlehem University lecturer Fahd Abu Haikal, gives a detailed account that a bullet pierced the car's windshield, then his right hand, then the baby's face, and then struck his wife seated in the back; AP journalists report seeing an additional bullet strike on the car's hood.
- The baby's grandmother, Feryal Abu Heikal, states they had stopped the car near a checkpoint after seeing Israeli military vehicles and initially believed the gunfire were warning shots.
- The Palestinian Health Ministry confirms the parents were wounded and reiterates that the baby was hit in the face; the mother is described as in critical condition with shrapnel close to her heart.
- The British Consulate in Jerusalem posts on X that it is 'shocked and saddened' by the killing, calling for an 'immediate and transparent investigation and accountability.'
- The article cites Israeli rights group Yesh Din statistics that Israeli soldiers were indicted in fewer than 1% of 2,427 complaints alleging harm to Palestinians between 2016 and 2024.
- The report adds same-day context that the Palestinian Red Crescent recorded eight people wounded in settler-related violence in the town of Huwara on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
- Article confirms the shooting occurred on Friday evening, June 5, 2026, in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron, specifying that the car was reportedly driving home from visiting relatives when troops opened fire.
- The New York Times details that the Israel Defense Forces said soldiers believed the vehicle was accelerating toward them at a checkpoint-like position and that a single soldier then fired multiple rounds.
- Palestinian medical officials reiterated that one bullet passed through the father's hand, then through the infant's head or face, and then into the mother's face, leaving the mother in critical condition.
- The IDF statement quoted in the article explicitly acknowledges that the family members were uninvolved civilians and says the incident has been referred to the military police investigative unit for formal inquiry.
- The report adds that the British consulate and other foreign missions have called for an independent, transparent investigation, placing diplomatic pressure on Israel over the incident.