On Friday evening, a seven‑month‑old Palestinian infant, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, died after Israeli soldiers fired at his family's vehicle in Tel Rumeida, south of Hebron.. The parents were also wounded, and the incident has prompted an Israeli military review while Palestinian officials condemn the killing as another civilian tragedy in the occupied West Bank.

Tel Rumeida Shooting: Bullet Penetrates Windshield, Kills Infant

The attack occurred as the Abu Haikal family travelled from Bethlehem to Hebron. According to the Palestinian health ministry, a bullet struck the car’s windshield, entered the baby’s face, and then passed through his mother’s face before exiting. The father, Fahd Abu Haikal, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, was hit in the hand.. The mother remains in critical condition with shrapnel near her heart. The grandmother, Feryal Abu Heikal, told reporters that the soldiers seemed to fire warning shots before the lethal rounds hit the vehicle.

Israeli Military’s Initial Inquiry Finds “Uninvolved Civilians”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a statement saying an initial investigation determined the three wounded were uninvolved civilians. The IDF claimed soldiers perceived the car as accelerating toward them and responded with single shots. the statement added that the situation is under review. As the report notes, the forces fired from a distance near a checkpoint, a pattern that has recurred in recent West Bank operations.

Spike in West Bank Violence Since October 7 Attack

Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault, Israeli operations in the West Bank have intensified. The United Nations reports over 1,000 Palestinian deaths in the territory, including at least 240 children. This incident adds to the 49 West Bank fatalities recorded this year, highlighting a broader surge in civilian casualties as Israel expands its security perimeter.

Family’s Account Reveals Horror of the Moment

At Al‑Ahly Hospital in Hebron, the father described the bullet’s trajectory: it first hit the windshield, then his hand, then his son’s face, and finally his wife’s face, leaving shrapnel near her heart. The grandmother said she initially thought the shots were warnings, but the scene quickly turned “horrific” when the baby’s face was “smashed.” The family has not yet told the mother that her son, who turned seven months old on the day of the killing, is dead.

Who Is Accountable? Questions Remain Over Rules of Engagement

Key uncertainties linger: whether the soldiers genuinely perceived an imminent threat, why the vehicle was not stopped before lethal fire, and how the IDF’s review will address potential violations of international humanitarian law.. The source does not provide the names of the soldiers involved, and no independent witnesses have corroborated the IDF’s version of events.