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Palestinian girl's mother demands independent inquiry into Gaza killing
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Conflict & Security

Palestinian girl's mother demands independent inquiry into Gaza killing

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • A 5-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, was killed along with six relatives when Israeli forces fired on their car in Gaza City.
  • Israel's military admitted to firing at the car and an ambulance dispatched to help, announcing a criminal investigation into its troops' conduct.
  • The girl's mother and Palestinian emergency responders doubt the Israeli investigation's impartiality, citing the delay in acknowledgment and the potential for image management.

The mother of 5-year-old Hind Rajab, killed in Gaza City, is demanding an independent inquiry into her daughter's death, finding Israel's announced military investigation insufficient. Wesam Hamada shared her daughter's final, haunting pleas: "Mama, I'm scared. Mama, I'm hungry. Mama, I'm hurt."

All I remember is her voice pleading, ‘Mama, I’m scared. Mama, I’m hungry. Mama, I’m hurt,’

— Wesam HamadaHind Rajab's mother recalling her daughter's final words.

Hind became a prominent casualty of the Israel-Hamas war after her January phone call with emergency dispatchers, during which she reported her family killed and Israeli tanks advancing. The call, amplified by a film nominated for an Oscar, highlighted the deaths of all six people in the car and two paramedics sent to rescue them.

Why did the investigation and the acknowledgment of the shooting at Hind’s car and at the paramedics come only after more than two years?

— Wesam HamadaHind Rajab's mother questioning the timing of Israel's admission.

Both Rajab's family and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society question the credibility of Israel's investigation, which was announced more than two years after the incident. "It's an attempt to distract from what's happening in Gaza and improve the (Israeli) army's image to the world," Hamada stated, emphasizing the delay in acknowledgment.

It’s an attempt to distract from what’s happening in Gaza and improve the (Israeli) army’s image to the world. That’s it.

— Wesam HamadaHind Rajab's mother expressing skepticism about Israel's investigation motives.

Rana Al-Faqih, a dispatcher who remained on the line with Hind for over three hours, recounted the harrowing experience of trying to comfort the child and connect her with her mother. She stressed that only an impartial investigation could deliver justice for Hind's family and the fallen medics.

An impartial investigation is the only way to deliver justice to Hind's family and the families of emergency workers

— Rana Al-FaqihA dispatcher emphasizing the need for an impartial inquiry.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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