Who was Hind Rajab and why is Israel investigating her killing?

After two years of denial, Israel has admitted its forces fired on a car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and her relatives in Gaza on January 29, 2024. The initial shooting killed six family members, leaving Hind trapped and wounded for hours before she died. A subsequent rescue attempt by the Palestine Red Crescent Society, which had received clearance from Israeli authorities, resulted in the deaths of two medics when their ambulance was struck by a tank round. An investigation by Avaaz suggested a deliberate "double-tap" tactic. New evidence from an Al Jazeera documentary identified specific Israeli military units and commanders allegedly responsible. Following international pressure and a war crimes complaint filed with the ICC, the Israeli military has announced a criminal investigation into the incident.

The Israeli military has admitted its troops opened fire on a car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and six family members in Gaza in 2024, ordering a criminal investigation into the incident. This admission follows media investigations that contradicted initial IDF denials of troops being in the area. Hind died after a three-hour plea for rescue to the Palestinian Red Crescent, with her family's car hit while attempting to flee Gaza City. The IDF also reviewed five other high-profile incidents in Gaza. Separately, a whistleblower testified in a trial against Meta, alleging the company was aware of harm its platforms caused children and that executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, were briefed on these issues.

The Israeli military has confirmed it opened fire on a vehicle carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and six family members in Gaza City in January 2024. Hind initially survived the attack, which killed her relatives, but her body was recovered days later. A Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance sent to rescue her, coordinated with the Israeli army, was subsequently shelled, killing two paramedics. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated it would open a criminal investigation into alleged failures in the ambulance's movement coordination. Initially, the IDF claimed no troops were in the area, but later acknowledged conducting raids on terror targets in the neighborhood where Hind was located. Hind's death drew international condemnation after a recording of her speaking to paramedics was widely broadcast.

Australia has summoned the Israeli ambassador in response to Israel's decision not to pursue criminal proceedings. This action by Australia stems from anger over the Israeli decision. The article does not provide further details on the specific case or the individuals involved beyond the context of the World Central Kitchen deaths mentioned in the headline. The summoning of the ambassador indicates a diplomatic protest by Australia regarding the outcome of the Israeli investigation.

Israel's military will open internal investigations into the deaths of five-year-old Hind Rajab in January 2024 and 15 emergency and aid workers in March 2025 in Gaza. These decisions follow probes by the military's Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism, which reviewed five incidents involving Palestinian deaths. However, rights groups express skepticism, noting that such investigations rarely result in convictions. The military stated that for the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in April 2024, there was no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct to warrant a criminal investigation. The IDF cited the challenging operational reality of ongoing combat across multiple fronts as context for its actions.

Israel's military announced it will open criminal investigations into two attacks in Gaza that resulted in Palestinian deaths: the killings of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family, and the deaths of 15 Palestinian paramedics. These investigations are part of reviews of 150 incidents of troop conduct. The military stated it would not pursue criminal probes into three other attacks that killed aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders. The killings of Hind Rajab in February 2024 and the paramedics in May 2025 had previously garnered international attention. The article details the circumstances surrounding both incidents, including accounts of Israeli troops opening fire on vehicles.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong has expressed outrage over Israel's decision not to prosecute individuals responsible for the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. Frankcom, along with six colleagues from World Central Kitchen, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza in April 2024. Minister Wong stated that the decision "falls far short of the accountability we expect" and announced she would summon the Israeli ambassador. She highlighted that the Israeli Defense Forces had admitted the strikes resulted from serious procedural failures, mistaken identification, and errors in decision-making. Australia will continue to press Israel for justice for Frankcom and her colleagues.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong has expressed "outrage" and will summon the Israeli ambassador following Israel's decision not to pursue criminal proceedings against those responsible for the April 2024 drone strike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six other World Central Kitchen staff in Gaza. Wong called the decision, announced on World Humanitarian Day, "especially insulting" and stated it falls short of the accountability Australia expects, especially given IDF admissions of serious failures in procedures, mistaken identification, and errors in decision-making. The IDF claimed it mistook individuals in the convoy for Hamas operatives and that the convoy deviated from its coordinated route. World Central Kitchen strongly disagrees with Israel's account and the decision, asserting the IDF knew their team was unarmed and their vehicles were clearly marked. Australia is pressing Israel for justice for Zomi Frankcom and her colleagues.