Israeli military launches investigations into two Gaza killings, including child Hind Rajab

The Israeli military (IDF) has announced the commencement of criminal investigations into two specific incidents involving the deaths of Palestinians during the war in Gaza. This move follows a preliminary review by the military's investigative committee, FFAM, which examined a total of five cases.

The investigations will focus on the deaths of five-year-old Hind Rajab, her family, and two paramedics in early 2024. The military will also investigate an incident in March 2025 where 15 Palestinian paramedics were killed after their convoy in Tel al-Sultan was fired upon.

The tragic fate of Hind Rajab and her family garnered significant international attention and condemnation of Israel's military actions in Gaza in January 2024. Rajab was killed on January 29 by Israeli troops after enduring hours in her family's car, following an earlier attack that claimed the lives of six relatives. She had been on the phone with the Palestinian Red Crescent. After the aid organization received army clearance to dispatch an ambulance, the vehicle was bombed upon arrival, killing the two paramedics inside. The IDF initially claimed the ambulance had moved "suspiciously" toward soldiers, but later revised its statement after video evidence emerged showing the ambulance proceeding slowly with its lights flashing and clearly visible logos.

Remains of all nine victims, including Rajab, were recovered days later. In contrast, the military stated it would not open investigations into three other cases. These include the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in April 2024, whose convoy was struck at night. The army asserted that soldiers mistakenly identified a "suspiciously armed person" in the vehicles as a Hamas fighter, but concluded there were no grounds for criminal proceedings despite the error. Investigations were also declined for the deaths of two members of Doctors Without Borders in Gaza City (November 2023) and Khan Yunis (February 2024).

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The army claimed soldiers mistakenly identified a "suspiciously armed person" in the vehicles as a Hamas fighter, but concluded there were no grounds for criminal proceedings despite the error.