Israeli Military Opens Criminal Probe into Gaza Car Shooting that Killed Child Hind Rajab
Israel has acknowledged that its forces fired on a civilian vehicle in Gaza on Jan. 29, 2024, killing five-year-old Hind Rajab and several relatives, and has launched a criminal investigation, while the victim’s family calls for an independent international inquiry.
The Israeli Defence Forces said on May 3 that they will investigate the Jan. 29, 2024 shooting of a civilian car in Gaza City that left five-year-old Hind Rajab and six of her relatives dead. The admission follows years of denial and international pressure after a documentary and forensic analysis linked Israeli Merkava tanks to the attack.
According to the investigation, more than 300 rounds were fired at the black Kia driven by the child’s uncle as the family attempted to obey evacuation orders. Six relatives, including a 15-year-old cousin, were killed instantly; Hind Rajab survived for several hours before dying of her injuries.
A Palestinian ambulance that arrived with clearance from the Israeli civil-military coordination office was hit by a 120 mm tank round, killing two medics. Analysts said the three-hour gap between the initial strike and the ambulance attack suggests a “double-tap” tactic.
"I am absolutely convinced that this is another case of double tap," said Sarah Andrew, legal director of the campaign group Avaaz.
The family and human-rights groups have rejected the internal probe as insufficient. Hind Hamada Rajab, the child’s grandmother, told the Associated Press that she does not trust Israel’s justice system and demands an independent international investigation.
"We do not trust the Israeli justice system, not out of an ideological position, but because of the track record," said Dyab Abou Jahjah, president of the Hind Rajab Foundation.
Researchers at Israeli rights organization Yesh Din noted that indictments resulting from military investigations are rare, and political pressure often hampers accountability.
The case was highlighted in an Al Jazeera documentary that used satellite imagery and audio analysis, naming specific Israeli officers and a private security firm as responsible for the shooting and subsequent tampering with the scene.