Israeli army orders criminal investigation into killing of Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza

What the report says

The Israeli army has ordered a criminal investigation into the killing of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza, according to reporting cited by Nile Post from BBC World News. The case has drawn wide international attention because of a recording in which Hind spoke with paramedics while trapped after the attack.

According to the published account, Hind was traveling with six relatives in a vehicle that came under Israeli fire in Gaza City in January 2024. She survived the initial strike that killed other family members, but her body was later recovered alongside the bodies of relatives and two paramedics who had attempted to reach her in an ambulance. The ambulance was also reportedly hit while trying to carry out the rescue.

The Israel Defense Forces said it decided to open a criminal investigation after reviewing the findings and citing alleged failures connected to coordination of the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance’s movement. The army’s move is significant because the article says it is the first time the IDF has acknowledged opening fire on the vehicle carrying Hind and her family. Previously, the IDF had said an initial review suggested no Israeli troops were in the area at the time.

More broadly, the case has become emblematic of the human cost of the Gaza war and the dangers facing civilians and rescue workers in conflict zones. The source material does not provide details on the outcome of the investigation.