“탱크가 옆에 있어요” 숨진 5살 라잡…이스라엘군, 총격 공식 인정

In the Gaza Strip on January 29, 2024, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl named Rafiq was trapped inside her uncle's car after it was hit by Israeli gunfire during a military operation. The girl, Rafiq, called for help over the phone, begging rescuers to save her. When help finally arrived three hours later, two emergency responders were killed, and Rafiq's body was discovered among the deceased several days later.

This incident, dubbed "Rafiq's Voice," was later turned into a film that received a Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The incident drew international attention to Israeli military atrocities in Gaza. Initially, Israel denied that its troops had shot at Rafiq's car, but later admitted to firing at the vehicle while it was moving.

The Israeli military claimed they were targeting a suspected terrorist target, but video footage showed that the vehicle had its emergency lights on. The UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict later accused Israel of war crimes and referred the case to the International Criminal Court. A Palestinian human rights group, "Hind Rafiq Foundation," criticized the investigation, stating that it would not lead to justice for the victims.