Who was Hind Rajab and why is Israel investigating her killing?

What the report says

Israel has said it is opening a criminal investigation into the killing of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child whose death in Gaza in January 2024 drew global attention. According to Al Jazeera, the military has now acknowledged firing on the civilian car in which Rajab was trapped after her family tried to leave Gaza City during an evacuation, ending more than two years of denial. The report says several relatives were killed in the initial shooting, and Rajab remained alive for hours before dying of her injuries.

Al Jazeera says the case gained renewed scrutiny through a documentary produced with the Hind Rajab Foundation and forensic groups, which used satellite imagery and audio analysis to challenge Israel’s earlier account. The article describes the findings as indicating Israeli tanks were close to the vehicle and that there was no evidence of a firefight as previously claimed. It also says the same broader incident involved an ambulance sent to rescue Rajab that was later hit, killing two medics.

The Israeli military’s move follows mounting pressure from human rights advocates and legal complaints, including a filing with the International Criminal Court. However, the family and rights groups quoted by Al Jazeera do not expect meaningful accountability and are calling for an independent international inquiry. The case has become a symbol of the wider civilian toll of the war in Gaza and of long-standing concerns about investigations into alleged abuses by Israeli forces.