Israeli army orders criminal investigation into killing of Palestinian girl Hind Rajab

The Israeli army has ordered a criminal investigation into the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza two years ago.

Hind was one of seven family members who died after coming under Israeli fire in Gaza City in January 2024. Her death sparked international condemnation.

The Israeli military's General Staff Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism (FFAM) said that following a "review of the findings and 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" into the killing of nine people - including Hind - on 29 January 2024.

It added that the investigation would be headed by Israel's Military Police Criminal Investigation Division (MPCID) - the country's main body for investigating allegations of wrongdoing by the military.

Read our investigation: Heartbreaking final moments of girl, 5, killed in Gaza

On that day, Hind and six members of the Hamada family were attempting to escape Gaza City's Tel al Hawa neighbourhood during the height of Israel's war on Hamas, when their vehicle came under attack.

A phone call recorded by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) the day of the shooting showed that Hind and her cousin were the only survivors in the vehicle. Later, only Hind's voice could be heard.

Over several hours she told rescuers: "Come and get me… I'm so scared, please come."

Paramedics Youssef Zeino and Ahmed Madhoon, who were sent to rescue Hind, were later reported missing after heavy gunfire was heard as they arrived near the vehicle Hind was trapped in.

Twelve days after the attack, Hind, her six relatives, and the paramedics were found dead.

The IDF said at the time of Hind's death that it was not in the area the day the Hamada family were attacked.

A Sky News investigation found, however, that a number of Israeli tanks were present in the area and likely to have fired at civilians.

On the same day the car and ambulance were found, the IDF published a press release about its activities in Gaza, saying "over the last two weeks" it had "conducted raids on terror targets" with forces operating in Shati and Tel al Hawa - where the nine were killed.

The press release was later deleted from the IDF website.

Israel has always strongly denied intentionally killing innocent civilians in Gaza, and denies allegations it has committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

The FFAM announced the investigation in a statement reviewing five incidents during the war in Gaza.

It added there was "no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct" in the following incidents:
• The deaths of seven World Central Kitchen employees in April 2024 - which killed three British aid workers in what the IDF called a "grave mistake";
• The deaths of two Doctors Without Borders (MSF) employees in Khan Younis in February 2024;
• The deaths of two MSF employees in Gaza City in November 2023.

It has also opened a criminal investigation into the deaths of 15 aid workers - including a United Nations employee - in Tel al Sultan in March last year.

Sky News previously investigated the circumstances that led to their deaths, finding evidence that Israeli forces killed the aid workers over the course of several hours.

Israel previously denied all wrongdoing in relation to that incident, saying its troops had reason to suspect the vehicles contained Hamas operatives and that they were later proven right.

(c) Sky News 2026: Israeli army orders criminal investigation into killing of Palestinian girl Hind Rajab