Israel's military has initiated a criminal investigation into the death of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab and her family members. The incident on January 29, 2024, drew widespread international condemnation after a recording of Rajab's desperate calls to Palestinian paramedics was broadcast globally.
Rajab, her aunt, uncle, and four cousins were attempting to evacuate their neighborhood in Gaza City during an Israeli military incursion when their vehicle was fired upon. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, Rajab's 15-year-old cousin, Layan Hamada, contacted them reporting that a tank was approaching and her family had been killed. The recording captured further gunfire before Hamada's screams abruptly stopped.
Paramedics were dispatched to rescue Rajab, who was believed to be the sole survivor. They remained on the line until contact was lost. Twelve days later, Rajab, her five relatives, and the two paramedics were found dead. Operators at the Red Crescent described being haunted by the sounds of Rajab's fear as she reported tanks moving toward her car.
Independent experts from the U.N. Human Rights Council have suggested that Rajab's killing may constitute a war crime. Rights groups have submitted war crime complaints to the International Criminal Court, seeking indictments for soldiers identified as involved in the incident.
Hind Rajab's grandmother, also named Hind Rajab, stated that the Israeli investigation is insufficient and called for an international inquiry into the deaths of her granddaughter and the many other children killed in Gaza. "An international investigation is required to uncover the truth and hold all those responsible accountable," she said, adding, "We call for justice, not only for Hind, but for all Gaza children."
The military's announcement of the criminal probe into Rajab's death comes as it stated it would not launch investigations into three other attacks that resulted in the deaths of aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders. The military reported completing reviews of 150 incidents of troop conduct in Gaza. It has also launched a criminal probe into the 2025 killing of 15 paramedics in Rafah, where IDF troops allegedly fired on their vehicles, leading to one deputy commander's removal and reprimands for three others.
The war began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas-led militants killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 in southern Israel. Gaza's Health Ministry reports that Israel's subsequent war in Gaza has resulted in over 73,000 deaths, with women and children comprising approximately half of the casualties.