New Hebron Footage Shows Family Car Slowing Before Shooting

New footage published this evening (Wednesday) by B'Tselem reveals the moments after an IDF soldier fired at a car carrying a Palestinian family in Hebron, leading to the death of 7-month-old baby Sam Abu Hiekel. The footage shows the car slowing down as it was coming to a stop before the shots were fired. The soldier who fired said in the investigation: "I was convinced it was a car-ramming attack and I felt my life was in danger."

On Saturday, the Military Police opened an investigation into the incident, which took place last Friday in Hebron, in which Sam Abu Hiekel, a 7-month-old Palestinian infant, was killed and both of his parents were moderately wounded by IDF fire while traveling in a car with their parents in Tel Rumeida. The soldier who fired claimed that he feared the vehicle was accelerating toward him to carry out a car-ramming attack, and that he felt his life was in danger. Shortly after the incident, the IDF said that "the forces operating in the area felt that a vehicle was accelerating toward them. An IDF soldier responded with a few shots at the vehicle. Preliminary questioning indicates that those involved were uninvolved civilians. The incident is under review, and its findings will be transferred for examination by the relevant authorities. The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved civilians."