Israel admits troops fired on Hind Rajab’s car, opens criminal probe

In a significant development, the Israeli military has admitted for the first time that its troops fired upon the car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab during a 2024 incident in Gaza. This admission reverses the military's earlier claim that its forces were not within firing range of the vehicle. The acknowledgment comes after a criminal investigation was launched into her death following the release of recordings of the terrified child pleading for help during a lengthy telephone call with Palestinian emergency workers.

Hind's body was found 12 days later in a bullet-riddled car in Gaza City, alongside her relatives and two Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics who were also killed. The Israeli military now states that its troops fired at the vehicle when it approached them, contradicting its previous stance. The investigation was ordered as part of the IDF's first comprehensive review of alleged misconduct during the Gaza war, which examined 150 incidents.

The military will determine whether criminal misconduct occurred in this and other reviewed cases, with decisions expected to be made public soon.