Israel launches investigation into killing of Palestinian girl in 2024 Gaza shelling

Israel's military has launched a criminal investigation into the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab and her relatives, who were killed in an army shelling in Gaza in January 2024. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged for the first time that its forces shelled the car carrying Rajab and six relatives as they attempted to flee intensified bombings in Gaza City.

The army stated that a review of observations and suspected negligence in coordinating with the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance led to the decision to open a criminal investigation. This comes after a report by the multidisciplinary Forensic Architecture group, associated with Goldsmiths University of London, provided strong evidence of Israeli forces' presence at the scene. The group's investigation found 335 bullet holes in the family's Kia Picanto, with most entry points on the right side of the vehicle. Satellite images from the same day showed vehicles nearby matching the size and shape of Israeli Merkava tanks.

Rajab, who was five or six years old, was in the car with her relatives when Israeli soldiers began firing from a tank. Her 15-year-old cousin, Layan Hamada, called the Red Crescent, and the call recording captured Layan ceasing to respond mid-conversation. Rajab, however, was able to respond to a callback from the emergency center, and the connection lasted for hours. Although an ambulance eventually reached the location, Rajab and her relatives perished. Their bodies were discovered 12 days later in the car. The paramedics who attempted to rescue her, Yusuf al-Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, were found dead about ten meters from the vehicle, their ambulance severely damaged.

Rajab's case has become a prominent example of alleged indiscriminate violence by the Israeli military. According to Gaza's health authorities, over 73,399 Palestinians have died in Israeli shelling and bombings since October 2023. The IDF's investigation into Rajab's death is part of its first comprehensive report on suspected war crimes since the conflict began. Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir recently called for targeted killings in Gaza.

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After reviewing observations and suspected negligence in coordinating the movement of the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance, it was decided to launch a criminal investigation into the case by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division.