IDF troops fire at vehicle in Hebron, killing 7-month-old baby and wounding his parents

Military ‘expresses deep sorrow’ over deadly shooting of Sam Fahd Abou Haikal, launches investigation of incident

Israeli troops opened fire Friday at a vehicle in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, killing a seven-month-old baby and lightly wounding his parents, a shooting the military later said it “expresses deep sorrow” over.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, during operational activity in Hebron, soldiers “perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them.” The troops then fired “single shots toward the vehicle.”

“An initial inquiry found that those injured were uninvolved civilians,” the IDF said, adding that the incident was under investigation, the findings of which will be “submitted for review by the relevant authorities.”

“The IDF expresses deep sorrow for any harm caused to uninvolved individuals,” the army added.

The Palestinian Authority identified the infant as Sam Fahd Abou Haikal, saying he was fatally wounded and his parents lightly injured “after the occupation forces opened fire on them on Friday evening” in Hebron’s Tel Rumeida neighborhood.

The baby’s grandmother said the family was driving near a checkpoint when they saw Israeli military vehicles and soldiers in the distance and stopped the car. She said shots were then fired toward them, which they initially believed were warning shots.

“One bullet struck my grandson, traversed his face and crossed his head, striking his mother’s cheek where it lodged,” she said, adding that the bullet had also grazed the father’s finger, and that the mother was in hospital.

The family lives in Bethlehem and was traveling to visit family in Hebron, according to the PA’s official Wafa news agency.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.