CNN reported on an incident that occurred in Hebron in the West Bank in which a 7-month-old Palestinian child, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was shot during an encounter involving Israeli soldiers. According to the report, the family was traveling in a vehicle when they encountered an Israeli military position. The father stated that he stopped the car after noticing the soldiers.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that soldiers fired after perceiving a vehicle as moving in a manner that posed a potential threat. The family disputed this account, stating that the vehicle was stationary at the time of the shooting.
The report referenced video analysis by the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, which showed the vehicle slowing and coming to a stop before the shots were fired. The baby was struck by a bullet and later died. The father sustained a gunshot wound to the hand, and the mother was critically injured.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that the individuals involved were civilians and that a criminal investigation was opened into the incident.
