Israel confirms it opened fire on vehicle carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza

Israel confirms it opened fire on vehicle carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza.

Key points

• After the attack, Hind managed to answer a telephone call from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
• The IDF afterwards stated it had "conducted raids on terror targets" with forces operating in neighbourhoods in Gaza City, including Tel al-Hawa, where Hind was located.
• The story was created into an Oscar-nominated film called The Voice of Hind Rajab.
• The Palestinian child initially survived the attack in January 2024 that killed a number of family members, but her body was recovered days afterwards along with her relatives.
• When their vehicle came under Israeli fire, she and her family were trying to flee the Israeli invasion of their neighbourhood in Gaza City.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has confirmed for the first time that it opened fire on a vehicle carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and six members of her family in Gaza City during the war in Gaza.

Notably, the Palestinian child initially survived the attack in January 2024 that killed a number of family members, but her body was recovered days afterwards along with her relatives.

After the attack, Hind managed to answer a telephone call from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. It lasted hours. An ambulance it sent to reach her – in a move coordinated with the Israeli army – was then shelled, killing two paramedics.

In an official note, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) remarked that after a review it would be opening a criminal investigation.

"Due to alleged failures in the coordination of the movement of the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance, it has been decided to initiate a criminal investigation of the incident by Military Police Criminal Investigation Division", it remarked.

According to The IDF initially, none of its troops were in the area at the time of Hind's killing. Nevertheless, that suggestion was shortly questioned.

Notably, the IDF afterwards stated it had "conducted raids on terror targets" with forces operating in neighbourhoods in Gaza City, including Tel al-Hawa, where Hind was located.

Hind's killing was internationally condemned after a desperate recording of her speaking to paramedics was broadcast worldwide.

Hind's pleas for someone to rescue her concluded when the phone line was cut against the backdrop of the sound of more gunfire.

For context, the story was created into an Oscar-nominated film called The Voice of Hind Rajab.

For context, the UN cited her case in a commission of inquiry, accusing Israel of war crimes. It it denies.

Aside from the criminal investigation into Hind and her family, the IDF additionally stated it would investigate the killing of 15 Palestinians, including medics and a UN worker near Rafah in southern Gaza last year.

In three other cases, involving the killing of seven World Central Kitchen employees in Deir al-Balah two years ago, and four employees of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). This person were killed in two incidents, the IDF remarked it had not identified grounds for criminal investigations.

Notably, the IDF is under pressure to show it investigates itself to try to stave off international legal action, most notably from the International Criminal Court.

It intends to counter accusations that it has committed war crimes and that there is impunity for its forces.

Correction: The initial version of this story and breaking news notification remarked Hind Rajab was aged six. The copy was updated after it was afterwards confirmed she was aged five.

For now, israel confirms it opened fire on vehicle carrying five-year remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.