The Israeli military has acknowledged for the first time that its forces opened fire on a vehicle carrying 5-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza, and says it has launched a criminal investigation into her killing.
The admission marks a significant change from the military’s previous position on the January 2024 incident.
Hind was travelling in a vehicle with six members of her family in northern Gaza when the car came under fire. She survived the initial attack and remained trapped inside the vehicle, where she made a desperate phone call to Palestinian emergency workers asking them to come and rescue her.
The call lasted for hours and drew international attention as Hind pleaded for help.
An ambulance was subsequently dispatched to the scene, but it too came under fire. The paramedics were later found dead alongside Hind.
Twelve days after the incident, Hind’s body was discovered inside the vehicle, which was reportedly riddled with bullet holes.
The Israeli military had previously denied that its forces were responsible. Months after the incident, an initial military investigation concluded that Israeli troops were not present near the vehicle and were not within firing range.
The latest acknowledgment now represents the first time the Israeli military has admitted that its forces fired on the vehicle.
The announcement comes amid renewed international scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding Hind’s death and growing calls for accountability.
Recordings of Hind’s emotional calls with Palestinian paramedics became widely known and sparked international outrage, particularly because she was a young child trapped alone in a vehicle after members of her family had been killed.
The incident has also become the subject of international artistic attention. The Voice of Hind Rajab, a film based on the case, was nominated for an Oscar in 2026.
The Israeli military has not yet released full details of the criminal investigation or explained what led to the change in its account.
The case remains under investigation.