2 weeks ago
Israel Admits Firing on Hind Rajab’s Car, Orders Probes
Hind Rajab was a five-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza.
In January 2024, she and her relatives were traveling in a car while trying to leave Gaza City.
The Israeli military now says its troops fired at the car because it was approaching them and was moving against instructions given to residents.
Five people in the car died, but Hind and her cousin Layan survived at first.
Hind became trapped inside the damaged car and spoke with Palestinian rescuers for hours.
An ambulance sent to help her was also hit, killing two paramedics.
Hind, six relatives and the two paramedics were found dead 12 days later.
Israel had previously denied that its troops were near the car, but it has now ordered a criminal investigation.
Israel also ordered a probe into the deaths of 15 Palestinian emergency and humanitarian workers near Rafah in March 2025.
The Israeli military acknowledged that its troops fired on a car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza City in January 2024.
Rajab and her cousin Layan Hamada initially survived the shooting, while five other passengers were killed; Rajab remained trapped in the vehicle.
Her body, six relatives and two Palestine Red Crescent paramedics were recovered 12 days later.
The military said a shell struck the coordinated ambulance sent to rescue Rajab, killing both paramedics, and ordered a criminal investigation.
Israel also ordered a probe into the March 2025 deaths of 15 Palestinian medics and humanitarian workers near Rafah, but declined criminal investigations into World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders deaths.
- Who
- Hind Rajab, her relatives, Palestine Red Crescent paramedics and Israeli military troops were involved in the 2024 incident; Palestinian medics and humanitarian personnel were killed in the separate 2025 Rafah incident.
- What
- The Israeli military acknowledged firing at Rajab’s vehicle and at the ambulance sent to rescue her, and ordered criminal investigations into that incident and the 2025 deaths near Rafah.
- Where
- The Rajab incident occurred in Gaza City. The deaths of the 15 medics and humanitarian workers occurred near Rafah in southern Gaza.
- When
- The emergency call occurred on January 29, 2024, and the bodies were recovered 12 days later. The separate Rafah incident occurred on March 23, 2025; the investigations were announced on August 19.
- Why
- The military said the car was approaching its troops contrary to advance notice given to residents, and cited alleged coordination failures involving the ambulance. It said the Rafah shooting raised reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct.
Critics and Accountability Advocates
Israeli Military and Government Position
Responsibility for Rajab’s death
Critics and Accountability Advocates
The Hind Rajab Foundation, the Palestine Red Crescent and Rajab’s family called for an independent international investigation, saying an internal Israeli probe cannot provide credible accountability.
Israeli Military and Government Position
The military said its troops fired at a vehicle approaching them while traveling contrary to advance notice given to residents, and that the initial fire killed five passengers.
Credibility of Israel’s investigation
Critics and Accountability Advocates
Critics described the investigation as fundamentally flawed or a mechanism to shield those responsible, citing Israel’s earlier denial that its forces were near the vehicle.
Israeli Military and Government Position
The Israeli military said it reviewed the findings and referred the case to its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division; Israel’s Foreign Ministry said this demonstrated a commitment to the rule of law.
Deaths of medics near Rafah
Critics and Accountability Advocates
The United Nations and rescue workers said Israeli forces fired on emergency vehicles, buried the bodies and vehicles in a mass grave, and may have committed war crimes. Footage reportedly contradicted Israel’s initial claim that the vehicles lacked emergency signals.
Israeli Military and Government Position
The military said the vehicles advanced suspiciously without headlights or emergency signals during an operation against Hamas operatives, and said six of those killed were identified as belonging to Hamas. It later said the shooting raised reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct.
Investigations into aid-worker deaths
Critics and Accountability Advocates
World Central Kitchen called Israel’s decision not to pursue a criminal probe into the deaths of seven workers inaccurate and demanded an independent investigation.
Israeli Military and Government Position
The military said the World Central Kitchen workers were mistakenly identified as armed Hamas operatives, but that commanders’ decisions did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct; it also declined criminal probes into four Doctors Without Borders deaths.
Key facts
- Victim
- Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl
- Initial shooting
- The military said five passengers were killed and Rajab and her cousin Layan Hamada initially survived
- Recovery
- Rajab’s body and those of six relatives and two Red Crescent paramedics were found 12 days later
- Ambulance incident
- The military said a shell struck the rescue ambulance, killing the two paramedics inside
- Previous Israeli position
- The military had previously said its forces were not near the vehicle or within firing range
- Rafah probe
- Israel ordered a criminal investigation into the March 2025 deaths of 15 Palestinian medics and humanitarian personnel
- Other cases
- The military declined criminal probes into the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen workers and four Doctors Without Borders staffers
Quotes
Israel military spokesman
Spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces
“The military said “fired at a vehicle that was approaching them while travelling contrary to the advance notice that had been given to residents in the area””
NDTV
“"The findings of the examination indicate that IDF troops fired at a vehicle that was approaching them,"”
livemint.com
Dyab Abou Jahjah
Director of the Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation
“"A charade meant to whitewash the culprits instead of convicting them."”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
Israel Army Admits To Firing On Car In Death Of 5-Year-Old Hind Rajab In Gaza
Israel Army Admits Firing On Car In Death Of 5 yr-Old Hind Rajab
Israel says it will probe 2024 killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza
Hind Rajab killing: IDF fired on 5-year-old’s car in Gaza, Israel admits for first time, orders probe
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