RAMALLAH, June 6, 2026 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Education and Higher Education on Saturday condemned what it described as a “heinous crime” committed by Israeli occupation forces against the family of academics Fahd Abu Hikal and his wife, Dania Salameh of Palestine Ahliya University in Bethlehem, after their civilian vehicle carrying family members was targeted, resulting in the killing of their infant son, Sam Fahd Abu Hikal, and the serious injury of both parents.

In a statement, the ministry said the horrific crime is an extension of a series of violations and crimes committed by the occupation against the Palestinian people, including members of the educational and academic community, amid international silence and inability to take deterrent measures to ensure the protection of civilians and accountability for perpetrators.

The ministry added that the continuation of these crimes is a direct result of international silence over grave violations of international law and international humanitarian law, stressing that the targeting of a civilian family, the killing of an infant, and the serious injury of his parents is a stark indication of the scale of daily suffering endured by the Palestinian people.

It reiterated that such crimes constitute a blatant violation of international norms, charters, and agreements prohibiting attacks on civilians, academics, and educational staff, calling on international, human rights, humanitarian, and media institutions to assume their legal and moral responsibilities, break the silence, expose these violations, and work to end them while ensuring accountability before international justice.

The ministry extended its condolences to the Abu Hikal family over the killing of their infant son, wishing the injured a speedy recovery, and reaffirmed its support for the academic community in confronting ongoing violations.

T.R.