IDF Investigation Opened After Footage Shows Soldiers Firing at Palestinian Family's Car in Hebron, Killing Seven-Month-Old
Footage released by Israeli human rights group B'Tselem appears to show an IDF soldier firing at a Palestinian family's car as it slowed to a stop in Hebron on June 5, killing seven-month-old Sam Abu Haikal and wounding both parents. The IDF had initially stated that a soldier opened fire after perceiving the vehicle as accelerating toward troops, a claim B'Tselem says the video directly contradicts. The incident has prompted a Military Police investigation and drawn international attention to the use of lethal force against civilians in the occupied West Bank.
On June 5, 2026, Israeli soldiers shot into a Palestinian family's car in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood of Hebron, killing seven-month-old Sam Abu Haikal with a bullet that passed through his head and injured both his parents, Fahd and Daniyah Abu Haikal. The IDF's initial statement said a soldier fired after perceiving the vehicle accelerating toward troops, but footage published on June 9 by B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, appears to show the car slowing and stopping near the soldiers before shots were fired. The video, which has no audio and does not capture the moment of firing, also shows soldiers leaving the scene without rendering aid to the wounded family. Sam's father, seen at his funeral with a bandaged hand and holding a photo of his son, rejected the characterization of the shooting as a mistake, noting that multiple shots were fired without warning. The Israeli Military Police opened an investigation on Sunday into both the shooting and the soldiers' alleged failure to assist the family afterward. B'Tselem stated that after the shooting, the soldiers left without checking the vehicle or calling for medical help. The IDF expressed 'deep sorrow for any harm caused to uninvolved individuals' and confirmed it was reviewing the footage.
What's missing
The footage does not include audio and does not capture the precise moment of firing, leaving some ambiguity about the exact sequence of events. The full findings of the Military Police investigation, including whether the soldier will face indictment, are not yet available.
How coverage differed
The Guardian's headline quoted a Palestinian rights advocate calling Palestinian lives 'disposable — even a baby,' and its report included broader statistics on Palestinian casualties and Israeli indictment rates, framing the incident within a pattern of systemic impunity. The Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel presented the same core facts but gave more weight to the IDF's procedural response, including the Military Police investigation, without the broader advocacy framing used by The Guardian and Al Jazeera.
What different sources said
- The Jerusalem PostRight
WATCH: Footage shows IDF appearing to shoot seven-month-old Palestinian baby in Hebron
- Arab NewsCenter
Israeli NGO publishes footage challenging army claims on killing of Palestinian baby
- Times of IsraelCenter
Video appears to show moment IDF soldier fired at family’s car in Hebron, killing baby
- Al JazeeraLeft
7-month-old baby shot by Israeli soldier in Hebron
‘Palestinian lives are disposable – even a baby’: new footage shows shooting of seven-month-old
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