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Killing of Hind Rajab

Coordinates: 31°30′32.76″N 34°26′12.84″E / 31.5091000°N 34.4369000°E / 31.5091000; 34.4369000
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Killing of Hind Rajab
Part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
Hind graduating from senior kindergarten, was killed at the age of 5 by the Israeli military
Killing of Hind Rajab is located in Israel
Killing of Hind Rajab
Killing of Hind Rajab (Israel)
The attack site
LocationTel al-Hawa, Gaza Strip
Coordinates31°30′32.76″N 34°26′12.84″E / 31.5091000°N 34.4369000°E / 31.5091000; 34.4369000
Date29 January 2024 (2024-01-29)
Deaths10
Perpetrators Israel Defense Forces

Hind Rajab was a five-year-old[1] Palestinian girl from the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood in Gaza City who was killed by the Israeli military, after being the sole survivor of Israeli tank fire on the vehicle she fled in with six relatives.[2][3]

According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Israeli forces deliberately attacked the ambulance sent to rescue her, killing two PRCS members, Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, despite the fact that Israel was notified of its dispatch, according to the organisation.[4] The IDF has said that "from a preliminary investigation that was conducted, it appears that IDF troops were not present near the vehicle or within firing range of the described vehicle in which the girl was found."[5] Al-Jazeera disputed the finding, reporting that there had been three Israeli tanks in the area at the time.[6]

Her story gained significant media coverage in February 2024, after her emergency 3-hour phone call with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society was released, in which she told the dispatcher, "I'm so scared, please come. Come take me. Please, will you come?"[7][3]

Background

During the Israel–Hamas war and the Israel invasion of Gaza, Israel issued evacuation orders throughout the Gaza Strip. On 29 January 2024, Rajab's family were fleeing the Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood[3] of Gaza City when their vehicle, a black Kia, was shot by an Israeli army tank, killing Rajab's aunt, uncle, and four cousins.[8] The only other survivor, Rajab's 15 year old cousin Layan Hamadeh, called the Palestinian Red Crescent Society to come and aid them. Hamadeh indicated at one point: "They are shooting at us. The tank is right next to me. We’re in the car, the tank is right next to us.”[9]

Hamadeh was also killed while still on the line. When the dispatchers called back, Rajab answered the call, stating everyone else in the car was dead.[3] Rajab stayed on the line with the PRCS for three hours, telling the dispatcher, "I'm so scared, please come. Come take me. Please, will you come?"[7][3] Her grandfather later told reporters that Rajab was injured in the back, hand and foot.[10] Rajab, who was instructed to continue hiding in the vehicle, was set to be rescued by a PRCS ambulance.[11] The audio of the phone call between the Red Crescent, Hamadeh and Rajab was published by the Red Crescent on 3 February.[10]

Search and rescue

As the area was besieged, the Palestinian Red Crescent worked with the Gaza Health Ministry and the Israeli military to guarantee safe passage for their ambulance crew to go and save Rajab. The ambulance reportedly indicated that they were being targeted by the Israeli military, reporting laser lights targeting them. After sounds of gunfire or an explosion, the connection was lost.[7] For 12 days, the fate of Rajab and the paramedics sent to find her was unknown.[12]

Death

Hind's uncle's car that was destroyed.

According to phone calls by both Hind and Layan Hamadeh, Hind's 15-year-old cousin, who also ultimately died in the car, the family came under attack in their car from an Israeli tank, which continued to approach after having shot the vehicle.[13]

On 10 February 2024, the family returned to the neighbourhood after the withdrawal of the Israeli military, at which point they found the car with Rajab and her uncle's entire family deceased.[14] The family's vehicle had its windows blown out, and the doors were covered with bullet holes.[15] The Red Crescent ambulance was found a few feet away, completely destroyed by an Israeli missile,[16] resulting in the deaths of two ambulance workers,[17] Yusuf al-Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, who were sent to rescue Rajab.[18]

Investigation

According to an initial investigation from the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, Rajab and her relatives were killed in a "planned execution" by the Israeli army, which also killed the Red Crescent paramedics sent to rescue the young girl with a US-made missile.[19] An IDF spokesperson alleged that after a preliminary investigation that there were no IDF troops near the vehicle or within firing range, they also alleged that due to the lack of troops it was unneeded for ambulance coordination to rescue Rajab.[5] In response to the IDF statements, Al Jazeera stated, "Israel has a history of swiftly clearing its troops of any wrongdoing in cases of abuse against Palestinians."[20] An Al Jazeera investigation further found that three Israeli tanks were in the vicinity of Rajab's family vehicle at the time of the attack.[21]

The investigation was reportedly handed over to the General Staff Fact Finding Assessment Mechanism, described as an independent military body that investigates unusual incidents. The United States has also raised calls for Rajab's death to be investigated in a timely manner, stating they were devastated about Rajab's death.[22]

Impact

Rajab's case garnered international attention with calls by activists and humanitarian organizations to help find her and bring her to safety when she was missing for the 12 days. Her mother begged for the international community not to forget her daughter and to bring her home.[23] The Palestinian Red Cross utilized their social media accounts, to post photos of both paramedics and Rajab for multiple days, while appealing for information about their locations.[7] Multiple news agencies reached out to the Israeli military for comment about the incident. On 2 February, the Israeli military told CNN reporters it was "unfamiliar with the incident". When they were contacted again three days later, they reported they "were still looking into it".[9]

After the discovery of her body, many pro-Palestinian figures criticised Western media outlets for stating that Rajab had been "found dead" without attributing her death to Israel, contrasting it with the sympathetic coverage of the deaths of children in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[24] Rajab's mother was critical of the Israeli army after the confirmed death of her daughter, stating, "How many more mothers are you waiting to feel this pain? How many more children do you want to get killed?".[18] The Red Crescent laid the blame of the incident at Israel, accusing it of deliberately targeting the ambulance crew.[25] The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called on the International Criminal Court to hold those responsible for Hind's death accountable.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Where is Hind? Calls for answers more than a week after rescuers go missing trying to save trapped 5-year-old". CNN. 10 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024. CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct Hind's age.
  2. ^ Salman, Abeer; Za’anoun, Khader Al (10 February 2024). "Five-year-old Palestinian girl found dead after being trapped in car under Israeli fire". CNN. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Da Silva, Chantal (11 February 2024). "'They killed her twice': Hind Rajab's mother mourns girl, 6, found killed days after being trapped under Israeli fire". NBC News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Body of 6-year-old killed in 'deliberate' Israeli fire found after 12 days". Al Jazeera. 10 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b Fabian, Emanuel; Fabian, Emanuel (24 February 2024). "IDF says probe indicates no troops were in area where 6-year-old Gazan girl was killed". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Hind Rajab: Were Israeli troops around where the six-year-old was killed?". Al Jazeera. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Sinmaz, Emine (10 February 2024). "'I'm so scared, please come': Hind Rajab, six, found dead in Gaza 12 days after cry for help". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  8. ^ Brown, Cate; Harb, Hajar (2 February 2024). "A 6-year-old in Gaza City was calling to be rescued. Did anyone find her?". The Washington Post. ISSN 2641-9599. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  9. ^ a b Regan, Helen (6 February 2024). "Where is Hind? Calls for answers more than a week after rescuers go missing trying to save trapped 6-year-old". CNN. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Six-year-old Gaza girl found dead days after pleading for help". France 24. 10 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  11. ^ Salam, Yasmine (4 February 2024). "6-year-old girl in Gaza goes missing after she is caught in fighting". NBC News. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Israeli forces 'deliberately targeted' medics sent to rescue little girl". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Cousin of Hind Rajab, 6, haunted by her last call after family car shot at in Gaza". The Guardian. 11 February 2024.
  14. ^ Zaanoun, Adel. "Six-year-old Gaza Girl Found Dead Days After Pleading For Help". Barron's. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  15. ^ Graziosi, Graig (11 February 2024). "A child and the medics trying to save her were killed by Israeli tanks". The Independent. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  16. ^ Abdulrahim, Raja (10 February 2024). "Missing 6-Year-Old and Rescue Team Found Dead in Gaza, Aid Group Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Bodies of Gaza girl, ambulance team trapped under Israeli fire found after 12 days". ABC News. 10 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  18. ^ a b Williamson, Lucy (10 February 2024). "Hind Rajab, 6, found dead in Gaza days after phone calls for help". BBC. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Gaza: Initial findings show Israeli army purposefully kills a child, uses an American-made missile to target her rescue crew". Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. 12 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Israel says its troops were not present where Palestinian girl Hind was killed". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Hind Rajab: Were Israeli troops around where the six-year-old was killed?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  22. ^ Magid, Jacob (13 February 2024). "US calls for 'urgent' probe into alleged IDF killing of 6-year-old Gazan girl". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  23. ^ "Israel-Gaza war: Unknown fate of six-year-old Hind Rajab trapped under fire". BBC. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  24. ^ "Western media outlets rebuked over coverage of Hind story". Al Bawaba. 12 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Body of Gaza girl found days after recordings emerged of her pleas for help under fire". The Times of Israel. 10 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  26. ^ "Palestinian Foreign Ministry slams killing of Hind Rajab". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
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