Newly released video footage has intensified scrutiny over the killing of a seven-month-old Palestinian baby after an Israeli soldier opened fire on a family car in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron last week.

The footage, published by the Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem, shows the moments before and after soldiers fired at the Abu Heikal family vehicle in the Tel Rumeida area. The child, identified as Sam Abu Heikal, was sitting in his mother’s arms in the back seat when he was struck in the head. He later died from his injuries, while both parents were wounded and remain in hospital.

According to the organisation, the video indicates that the driver had slowed the vehicle as he approached Israeli troops positioned on the road and appeared to be preparing to stop when the shots were fired. The group stated that the car was still at a distance from the soldiers and posed no immediate threat at the time of the shooting.

The footage also captures the child’s father desperately attempting to stem bleeding from the infant’s head moments after the gunfire erupted. The mother, who was also injured while holding her son, can be seen sitting beside the family vehicle on the roadside.

B'Tselem said the soldiers involved left the scene immediately after the shooting without searching the vehicle or providing medical assistance to the wounded family. The incident has added to growing anger across the occupied Palestinian territories as military operations and deadly shootings continue during the wider genocidal war.