Israeli Military Begins Investigation into the Death of Five-Year-Old Hind Rajab
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The Arab Post
- . August 20, 2026
- . Update: August 20, 2026 3:47 pm
Israeli military Hind Rajab, For the first time in history, the Israeli military has admitted its firing on a car carrying a five-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, along with six other members of her family, who were killed in Gaza in 2024.
The admission is made more than two years later after Hind had made a desperate call to Palestinian Red Crescent operatives while Israeli military vehicles surrounded her car. Now the IDF has announced the commencement of a criminal investigation against Hind, six other members of her family, and two paramedics who had come to rescue her.
Last Words of Hind Rajab Before Being Shot by Israel
Hind was traveling with her family members in Gaza City.
Whereas the other individuals in the vehicle died, Hind survived and called the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS).
For several hours, Hind was speaking to the operator through the telephone, informing the operator of the tanks around the area and calling out to be rescued.
Operator Rana Faqih stayed on the phone call with the child while the Red Crescent tried to get permission from the Israeli forces to be able to reach Hind.
The final conversation of Hind became popularized after the release of the recordings from the call.
The ambulance that went to save Hind got hit too
Several hours later, an ambulance was allowed to head towards the direction where Hind was located.
Yusuf al-Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, the two paramedics who were in the ambulance, headed toward Hind but lost connection when they were near the location.
PRCS said that the ambulance was hit by fire, which killed both the paramedics.
Later on, the body of Hind was found along with her relatives and the ambulance.
Red Crescent blamed the Israeli soldiers for shooting at the rescue team despite all the prior communication.
IDF Confesses Its Soldiers Shot at Vehicle
According to the recent statement released by the IDF, an investigation carried out revealed that Israeli soldiers did shoot at the vehicle Hind was in.
The army noted that the vehicle was moving contrary to a notification that had been made to the locals in the area.
Earlier, the IDF claimed that the troops did not operate in the area where Hind met her fate. This assertion later became questionable when the army confirmed that its troops were running operations in other parts of Gaza City.
According to the IDF, the circumstances surrounding the deaths pose enough reason for a criminal investigation to be held.
Investigation Involves Deaths of 15 Palestinians
Also, the Israeli army announced another investigation into another case where 15 Palestinians died in March 2025, in Rafah. The victims included paramedics and one of the UN staff.
Initially, Israeli forces had claimed that they shot at some vehicles moving without emergency lights. However, evidence from the phone belonging to one of the dead paramedics showed that the convoy used the lights.
However, the IDF admitted that their previous claims were incorrect and now claimed that the case provides enough evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
No Prosecutions in Other Gaza Incidents
According to the army, there will be no criminal investigations into three other incidents which involved the killing of seven World Central Kitchen staff members in Deir al-Balah in 2024 and four Médecins Sans Frontières members killed in two other incidents.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was disappointed with Israel’s decision not to investigate those responsible for the World Central Kitchen staff deaths, stating that it is inadequate for Australia.
World Central Kitchen also challenged the military’s story and demanded an independent investigation.
International Focus on Israeli military Hind Rajab Case
Hind’s demise is arguably one of the most talked-about issues concerning child victims and civilian deaths during the Gaza war.
The story was turned into the Oscar-nominated movie The Voice of Hind Rajab, and it also became the basis for the accusations of war crimes by the Israeli authorities made by the UN commission of inquiry. However, Israel denied such accusations.
The Hind Rajab Foundation, which fights against Israeli violations in Gaza, expressed doubts concerning the investigation of the Israeli military.
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