Palestinian child killed by Israeli gunfire in West Bank

Israeli gunfire killed a Palestinian infant and wounded his parents in the south of the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry reported.

Sam Fahd Abou Haikal, aged seven months, was killed and his parents were wounded "after the occupation forces opened fire on them on Friday evening" in the south of the city of Hebron, the ministry said.

The Israeli military claimed its forces had opened fire after "soldiers perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them", but said an initial inquiry found the three Palestinian people were "uninvolved civilians" and expressed "deep sorrow" for any harm caused.

Dr Tareq Barbarawi, the director of a Hebron hospital, had earlier told AFP the child had been taken into care with "serious" injuries.

According to Palestinian news agency Wafa, the Israeli army fired towards the family's car.

Since Israel began its war in Gaza in October 2023, Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,080 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry data.

Israel has occupied since 1967.

Official Israeli figures show at least 46 Israelis have been killed in attacks or during Israeli military operations in the same period.