Israeli military confirms it fired on vehicle carrying child Hind Rajab, launches criminal probe

The Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday that its troops opened fire on the vehicle transporting 5-year-old Hind Rajak in northern Gaza, and that a criminal investigation has been opened into the killing. The admission reverses an earlier denial in which the IDF claimed a preliminary review found its forces were not near the car or within firing range.

According to the military, the vehicle was part of a convoy of seven family members that came under Israeli fire. Hind Rajak survived the initial attack and remained on the phone with Palestinian paramedics for several hours while they attempted to reach her. An ambulance later dispatched to the scene was also hit by fire.

Twelve days after the incident, Rajak’s body was recovered from a car riddled with bullets. Recordings of her call with paramedics have been widely circulated, and a short film about the episode, titled “The Voice of Hind Rajak,” has been nominated for an Oscar in 2026.