Israeli Army Orders Criminal Probe into Six-Year-Old Hind Rajab's Death
Investigation launched into alleged coordination failures, contrasting with decisions on other aid worker killings in Gaza.
Callum Smith
The Israeli army has ordered a criminal investigation into the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza.
Hind Rajab, her relatives, and two medics died; their bodies were reportedly discovered 12 days later. Hind's 15-year-old cousin, Layan Hamada, contacted the Palestinian Red Crescent, reporting a tank approaching and her family being killed.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated an investigation is underway, citing alleged failures in coordinating the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance's movement. The Israeli military admitted firing at the family car, having initially claimed the vehicles advanced suspiciously without headlights or emergency signals.
The military said it mistakenly identified several individuals in the vehicles as armed Hamas military operatives, asserting the convoy deviated from its coordinated route. However, the military concluded that "the decisions of the commanders did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct," directing one deputy commander to step down.
They were killed in their uniforms. Driving their clearly marked vehicles. Wearing their gloves. On their way to save lives. This should never have happened.
The military declined to launch criminal investigations into three separate attacks that killed aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders. The Israeli military said it had mistaken several individuals in the World Central Kitchen vehicles for armed Hamas military operatives, and that the convoy deviated from the previously coordinated route.
Jonathan Whittall stated, "'They were killed in their uniforms. Driving their clearly marked vehicles. Wearing their gloves. On their way to save lives. This should never have happened.'" The military statement did not mention other high-profile killings the military has pledged to investigate throughout the war, nor did it reference Israeli strikes on a hospital in southern Gaza that killed five journalists in August 2025.
Elsewhere, in May 2025, 15 Palestinian paramedics died when Israeli troops opened fire on their vehicles in Rafah, their bodies subsequently bulldozed. Phone footage and the sole survivor indicate troops fired on a first ambulance and then on other emergency vehicles that responded.
We are not obligated to prove the truth because it is already proven to the whole world. We shouldn't have reached this point if they respected and followed the international humanitarian law.
Eid Azizi stated, "'We are not obligated to prove the truth because it is already proven to the whole world,'" adding, "'We shouldn't have reached this point if they respected and followed the international humanitarian law.'" The Israeli military stated it has completed reviews of 150 incidents of troop conduct in Gaza and made decisions on five cases.
The war began in October 2023 when Hamas launched a surprise attack into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250.