Israel Admits Troops Fired On Car Carrying Five-Year-Old Hind Rajab

The Israeli military has acknowledged for the first time that its troops fired on a vehicle carrying five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was later found dead with six relatives in Gaza in 2024. Hind had survived the initial attack and spent hours pleading for help during a phone call with Red Crescent operators. Two paramedics sent to rescue her were also killed. The IDF has now announced a criminal investigation into the incident.

The Israeli military has acknowledged for the first time that its troops opened fire on a vehicle carrying five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was later found dead alongside six members of her family in Gaza in January 2024.
The admission came as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it would launch a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Hind's death and the deaths of Palestinians in another incident involving medics and a United Nations worker in March 2025.
Hind's case became one of the most widely reported tragedies of the Gaza war after a recorded telephone call captured her desperate attempts to obtain help while trapped inside the family vehicle.

HIND'S FINAL CALL FOR HELP

Hind initially survived after the vehicle came under fire while she was travelling with relatives in Gaza City.
During a lengthy telephone call with operators from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), the terrified child described seeing Israeli tanks near the vehicle and repeatedly pleaded for rescuers to come and save her.
A Red Crescent operator, Rana Faqih, remained on the phone with Hind for hours while the organisation sought permission from Israeli authorities to send an ambulance to the area.
As darkness approached, Hind reportedly became increasingly frightened and asked how far away the operator's home was.
Eventually, an ambulance was dispatched after coordination with Israeli forces.

TWO PARAMEDICS ALSO KILLED

The two paramedics sent to rescue Hind, Yusuf al-Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, reached the area after dark.
They told Red Crescent operators that they were approaching the location and were about to undergo security checks before entering.
It was the last communication received from the crew.
The PRCS later said the ambulance was attacked, killing both paramedics. Hind and the bodies of her relatives were recovered days later.
The organisation accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting the ambulance despite prior coordination for the rescue operation.

IDF CHANGES EARLIER ACCOUNT

The latest Israeli military statement represents a significant change from its earlier account of the incident.
The IDF initially said there were no Israeli troops in the area when Hind was killed.
That claim was later questioned, particularly after the military acknowledged that its forces had conducted operations in nearby parts of Gaza City, including the Tel al-Hawa area where Hind was located.
The IDF now says its examination found that Israeli troops did fire at a vehicle.
The military attributed the decision to investigate to alleged failures involving coordination of the Red Crescent ambulance's movement, while also saying the vehicle had been travelling contrary to an advance notice issued to residents.

SECOND INVESTIGATION ANNOUNCED

The IDF said the criminal investigation will also examine the deaths of 15 Palestinians, including medical workers and a UN employee, during a separate incident in March 2025.
That incident also generated international condemnation and renewed questions about the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers during Israeli military operations.
The Israeli military has maintained that its operations are aimed at security threats and has denied allegations of deliberately targeting civilians.

CASE BECOMES SYMBOL OF GAZA'S HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

Hind's final phone call became a powerful symbol of the humanitarian suffering experienced by children during the Gaza conflict.
The recording of the young girl's frightened voice was broadcast internationally, drawing widespread attention to her case and the dangers faced by civilians trapped in combat zones.
Her story later inspired "The Voice of Hind Rajab," an Oscar-nominated film based on the events surrounding her death.
The United Nations has also cited Hind's case in a commission of inquiry that accused Israel of war crimes. Israel rejects such allegations.
The new IDF investigation could provide further information about what happened to Hind, her relatives and the two paramedics who attempted to rescue her, while also placing renewed scrutiny on the conduct of Israeli forces and the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers in Gaza.