Video Contradicts Israeli Military Account

Video Contradicts Israeli Military Account

A video released by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights, B'Tselem, on Friday, May 17, appears to contradict the Israeli military's initial account of an incident in the occupied West Bank where a seven-month-old Palestinian infant was killed. The footage shows the family's vehicle slowing down near a military post before Israeli soldiers opened fire, resulting in the death of Sam Abu Haikal and injuries to his parents, Daniyah and Fahed Abu Haikal.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had previously stated that its troops "perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them" and that a soldier "responded with single shots toward the vehicle." However, B'Tselem's video indicates the car was decelerating, not accelerating, and was not in close proximity to the soldiers, suggesting it posed no immediate threat. The incident occurred in Hebron, where the family was driving when stopped by soldiers.

Following the release of the video and public outcry, the Israeli military police initiated an investigation into the soldier involved on Sunday, May 19. This event contributes to a broader pattern, as the UN reported in March that over 1,000 Palestinians, including at least 240 children, have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 2023. Israeli rights group Yesh Din notes that accusations against Israeli soldiers for harming Palestinians rarely result in penalties, with indictments in less than 1% of 2,427 complaints between 2016 and 2024.