Israeli Military Admits Firing on Car Carrying 5-Year-Old Hind Rajab, Opens Criminal Probe

The Israeli military has acknowledged opening fire on the vehicle carrying 5-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza, admitting its forces were involved in the January 2024 incident. This admission marks a significant shift from previous statements by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which had initially denied being near the vehicle or within firing range.

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The findings of the examination indicate that IDF troops fired at a vehicle that was approaching them.

The IDF announced it has opened a criminal investigation into the killing, a move that comes after a preliminary investigation had concluded differently. This case is one of two high-profile incidents prompting criminal probes, though the military will not investigate three other attacks that resulted in the deaths of aid workers earlier in the war. Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour expressed skepticism, telling CNN that he doubts the investigation's credibility and independence, stating that a genuine inquiry would lead to the arrest of those responsible.

Rajab was traveling with seven family members in northern Gaza when their vehicle came under Israeli fire. She survived the initial attack and spent hours on the phone pleading for rescue. Tragically, an ambulance dispatched by the Palestinian Red Crescent to save her was also targeted. Rajab's body was discovered 12 days later in a bullet-riddled car. The IDF statement indicated that troops fired at a vehicle approaching them and that failures in coordinating the ambulance's movement led to the decision to initiate a criminal investigation.

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Following review of the findings and due to apparent failures in the coordination of the movement of the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance, it has been decided to initiate a criminal investigation of the incident by Military Police Criminal Investigation Division.

The Hind Rajab Foundation criticized Israeli investigations, stating they "overwhelmingly end without meaningful examination, prosecution, or punishment," with any convictions often resulting in lenient sentences. Recordings of Rajab's desperate calls to paramedics gained global attention, fueling demands for accountability for her death and the thousands of other children killed in Gaza. A film about the incident, "The Voice of Hind Rajab," received an Oscar nomination in 2026. This investigation is part of the IDF's broader review of alleged war crimes, with 150 incidents examined, five of which led to published decisions on Wednesday, while others await the military advocate-general's decision. The IDF also launched a criminal probe into the March 2025 killing of 15 paramedics.

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investigations by Israeli forces overwhelmingly end without meaningful examination, prosecution, or punishment.