The Israeli army opened its first criminal investigation into the conduct of soldiers in Gaza

On August 19, the Israeli army announced its decision to open an investigation into the soldier's murder of Hind Rajab's family in February 2024, along with the shooting that killed 15 Palestinian medical workers in March 2025.

According to preliminary results, the Israeli army admitted that its soldiers opened fire on the car carrying baby Hind Rajab, his cousins ​​and aunts and uncles while they were evacuating Gaza City.

Little Hind's aunt, uncle and three relatives died instantly. The baby's 15-year-old cousin, Layan Hamada, promptly called the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for help.

Just a few seconds later, gunfire rang out again and Layan's screams stopped, according to PRCS' call recording. Over the phone, rescue workers continued to hear baby Hind crying in the car, so they sent a group to rescue him.

12 days later, PRCS found the body of baby Hind along with five family members and two medical staff. The Israeli army said its soldiers shot at the ambulance, killing two PRCS employees.

In the second incident in Rafah, Israeli soldiers opened fire on an ambulance convoy moving to rescue victims, killing 15 medical and rescue workers, then used a bulldozer to dump the bodies and vehicles into a mass grave.

The Israeli army initially thought the convoy had suspicious signs, but then dismissed a deputy commander when videos from the scene showed ambulances moving slowly, with emergency lights on and clear logos.

"There needs to be an international investigation to clarify the truth and force all those responsible to pay," said Hind's grandmother. "We demand justice, not just for Hind, but for all children in Gaza."

PRCS also requested an international investigation, according to Raed al-Nims, the organization's spokesman in Gaza. "Israel's investigative measures are not enough," he said.

A documentary about baby Hind's death called The Voice of Hind Rajab won many international awards and was nominated for an Oscar.

Ms. Tal Steiner, head of the Israeli human rights organization HaMoked, said the Israeli army's investigation process will take a lot of time.

"It's very rare for Israeli soldiers accused of killing Palestinians to go to trial, and even rarer are harsh sentences," she said.

She noted that only one soldier has been in prison since October 7, 2023 for allegedly mistreating Palestinian prisoners. That soldier was sentenced to seven months in prison under a plea agreement in June 2025.

The conflict in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen crossed Israel's southern border and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and captured 251 people and took them to the Gaza Strip as hostages.

Israel then launched a retaliation campaign, killing at least 73,400 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities. Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in October 2025.