Israeli military opens criminal probe into killing of 6

Israeli military opens criminal probe into killing of 6‑year‑old Hind Rajab

The Israel Defence Forces said on Wednesday it will open criminal investigations into two high‑profile incidents in Gaza: the killing of 6‑year‑old Hind Rajab and members of her family in January 2024, and the March 2025 deaths of 15 emergency‑service workers.

According to the IDF’s statement, the car carrying Hind Rajab “was approaching … while travelling contrary to the advanced notice given to residents,” and troops opened fire. The statement adds that after a Palestine Red Crescent ambulance reached the scene “a shell was fired toward it, resulting in the deaths of the two paramedics travelling in it.” The military said “reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct” exists and has assigned the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division to the case.

Media additions

In the second case, Israeli troops fired on several emergency vehicles in the southern city of Rafah on 23 March 2025. Phone footage and testimony from a survivor show a first ambulance being shot at, followed by fire on additional ambulances, a fire‑truck and a United Nations vehicle. After the shootings the troops “crushed the vehicles and covered the bodies with metal mesh,” according to the IDF. The victims included eight Red Crescent staff, six members of the Gaza civil‑defence agency and one UNRWA employee, all buried in what the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs described as a mass grave.

The military said the investigations follow reviews completed by its Fact‑Finding and Assessment Mechanism. The IDF announced that it had examined 150 incidents of troop conduct in Gaza and made decisions on five cases.

Three other incidents that attracted worldwide attention were not referred to criminal probes. One involved the April 2024 strike that killed World Central Kitchen volunteers; the other two involved staff from Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The IDF said there was “no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct that would justify the opening of a criminal investigation” for those cases.

"Nearly zero indictments are served relative to the number of complaints of soldiers and commanders who commit offences. In rare cases when commanders or soldiers are convicted, they receive ridiculously lenient sentences compared with the severity of the offence,"

Spokesperson, Yesh Din, via CBC

Human‑rights groups have repeatedly warned that internal probes seldom lead to convictions. The Yesh Din spokesperson’s comment reflects that broader criticism.

"More important than opening the investigation is that this should have been prevented,"

Eid Aziz, media director, Palestinian Red Crescent, via Reuters

The Red Crescent also challenged the army’s original justification for opening fire. After video evidence showed the rescue vehicles with flashing lights and visible logos, the military “backtracked” from the claim that the vehicles were “advancing suspiciously” without emergency signals.

"We are not obligated to prove the truth because it is already proven to the whole world,"

Eid Azizi, spokesperson, Palestinian Red Crescent, via Associated Press

Family members have demanded an external enquiry. Hind’s grandmother, also named Hind Rajab, told the Associated Press that “an international investigation is required to uncover the truth and hold all those responsible accountable.” She urged justice not only for her granddaughter but for all Gaza children killed in the conflict.

A United Nations Human Rights Council report released in June 2025 concluded that Israeli security forces had “deliberately targeted” Palestinian children in Gaza. Israel dismissed the report as “a propaganda piece.” The same UN body has tracked the cumulative death toll in Gaza, noting more than 73 000 casualties since the war began on 7 October 2023, with women and children comprising roughly half of the dead.

The IDF’s statement framed the investigations as part of its obligations under international law and Israeli domestic law. “As part of the IDF’s obligations under international law and Israeli domestic law, the IDF examines exceptional incidents that occurred during combat,” the military said.

While the criminal probes have been opened, the statements provide few details about the procedural timetable. The Military Police Criminal Investigation Division has been tasked with gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses and determining whether charges will be filed. Rights groups say they will monitor the process closely, noting that past internal investigations have rarely resulted in indictments.