In Hebron on the evening of June 5, 2026, a family was shot by an Israeli soldier while driving home from Bethlehem. The infant, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was seven months old at the time of the fatal incident. The boy died from a head wound, while his mother and father received injuries when the bullets struck the car.
According to the Israeli military, soldiers fired a single shot after the vehicle “perceived a threat” and allegedly accelerated towards the checkpoint at Tel Rumeida. The family, however, insists they halted the car, raised their hands, and obeyed orders, claiming no danger was posed.
The IDF issued a statement expressing deep sorrow and confirming that the family were “uninvolved civilians” under examination. The father, Fahd, rejected the expression of regret, stating that the lack of warning made it impossible to be a mistake.
Sam’s body was laid to rest in Hebron the day after the shooting. His father carried the shrouded infant wrapped in a Palestinian flag to the graveyard, surrounded by mourners. Families judged the impact of this loss amid the broader conflict in the West Bank.
Tel Rumeida has long been a flashpoint, where Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents coexist under a significant military presence meant to protect settlers. The family’s home sits across a checkpoint, reflecting the daily tensions between security checkpoints and civilian life.
Since October 7, 2023, the West Bank has seen more than 1,000 Palestinian casualties—both militants and civilians—while at least 44 Israelis have been killed in related clashes. Meanwhile, Israeli retaliation in Gaza has claimed over 70,600 deaths, according to the Hamas‑run health ministry.
