Israeli forces kill 7-month-old Palestinian baby in Hebron; parents wounded as troops open fire in occupied West Bank city during ongoing military raids.
Israeli forces have killed a 7-month-old Palestinian infant and wounded his parents during a shooting incident in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, according to Palestinian health officials and eyewitnesses.
The baby, identified as Mohammed al-Tamimi, was shot in the head and died shortly after arriving at a local hospital, medical sources told Media. His parents sustained serious injuries in the same incident.
Baby Killed in Hebron as West Bank Violence Escalates:
Local residents and Palestinian media reported that Israeli troops opened fire on a family vehicle or near a residential area in Hebron during a military operation. The exact circumstances remain unclear, with conflicting accounts emerging.
Palestinian Red Crescent Society paramedics said they responded to the scene and transported the victims to hospital. The infant was pronounced dead on arrival.
“He was just a baby in his mother’s arms,” a relative told Media, describing the family’s devastation. “This is pure brutality.”
The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident but offered no immediate comment on the killing of the child. In past similar cases, the army has often described such deaths as resulting from crossfire, stone-throwing, or alleged threats to soldiers.
The incident is the latest in a surge of violence across the occupied West Bank, where Israeli military operations have intensified since October 2023. According to the Palestinian health ministry, more than 600 Palestinians, including dozens of children, have been killed in the territory this year alone.
Hebron, home to some 200,000 Palestinians and a small enclave of Israeli settlers, is a frequent flashpoint. The city is divided into zones of control, with heavy Israeli military presence around settlements and in the old city.
Human rights groups have repeatedly accused Israeli forces of using excessive force and failing to adequately investigate incidents resulting in Palestinian civilian deaths, including children.
Hebron Killing Sparks Outrage:
The killing comes amid continued tensions across the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel-Gaza ceasefire negotiations. Rights organisations have warned that the cycle of violence, settlement expansion, and military raids is further destabilising the region and deepening despair among Palestinians.
The family’s tragedy has sparked anger on social media and calls from Palestinian factions for accountability. Israeli human rights group B’Tselem and others have documented hundreds of cases of Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces in recent years, many in circumstances involving live fire in residential areas.