Wikipedia

Killing of Hind Rajab

Hind Rajab (2017/2018 – 29 January 2024) was a six-year-old[a] Palestinian girl from the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood in Gaza City who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), after being the sole survivor of Israeli tank fire on the vehicle in which she had fled with six relatives.

Killing of Hind Rajab
Part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
Rajab graduating from senior kindergarten
Killing of Hind Rajab is located in State of Palestine
Killing of Hind Rajab
Killing of Hind Rajab (State of Palestine)
The attack site
LocationTel al-Hawa, Gaza Strip
Coordinates31°30′49″N 34°26′13″E / 31.51361°N 34.43694°E / 31.51361; 34.43694
Date29 January 2024 (2024-01-29)
Attack type
Mass homicide, child homicide by gunshot
Deaths9
PerpetratorsIsrael Defense Forces

Rajab's family were fleeing Tel al-Hawa when an Israeli army tank shot at their vehicle, killing her aunt, uncle, and four cousins. The only other survivor at the time, her 15-year-old cousin, called the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for emergency aid, crying and screaming that Israeli forces were shooting at them amid the sound of gunfire before going silent when she was also killed. Rajab was then the sole survivor in the car, surrounded by the dead bodies of her family. Her subsequent emergency three-hour phone call with PRCS was released, in which she told the dispatcher, "I'm so scared, please come. Come take me. Please, will you come?". She was eventually killed by Israeli forces.

A PRCS ambulance was sent to rescue Rajab, which was also attacked by Israeli forces, killing two PRCS paramedics, Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, in a deliberate attack according to the organization, and despite the fact that Israel was notified of its dispatch.[3] Israel claimed that its troops were not near the vehicle in which Rajab was killed.[4] However, Al Jazeera and The Washington Post refuted Israel's claims, basing their investigations on satellite imagery.[5][6] Just three days prior to the killings, Israel had been ordered by the International Court of Justice to refrain from committing any acts that would constitute genocide.[7][8][9]

Killing

In January 2024, three months into the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, much of the Strip was largely deserted and bombed-out.[10] The healthcare system in Gaza was collapsing due to Israeli attacks and a blockade of humanitarian aid.[11] Northern Gaza was particularly affected, as there were no functioning hospitals in the area by December due to lack of supplies, fuel and staff.[12]

On 29 January 2024, Rajab along with six of her family members were fleeing from the Gaza City neighborhood of Tel al-Hawa,[13][14] when an Israeli army tank shot their vehicle, a black Kia, killing Rajab's aunt, uncle, and four cousins.[15] The only other survivor, Rajab's 15-year-old cousin Layan Hamadeh, called the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for emergency aid. Hamadeh was crying, further adding that "They are shooting at us. The tank is right next to me. We're in the car, the tank is right next to us."[16]

Hamadeh was heard screaming as she was killed under the sound of machine gun fire raking the car while still on the line with responders.[17][18] When the dispatchers called back, Rajab answered the call, stating everyone else in the car was dead[14] and that the tank continued to approach the car.[19] 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?"[20][14] Her grandfather later told reporters that Rajab was injured in the back, hand and foot.[21] Rajab, who was instructed to continue hiding in the vehicle, was set to be rescued by a PRCS ambulance.[22] The audio of the phone call between the PRCS, Hamadeh and Rajab was published by the Red Crescent on 3 February.[21]

As the area was besieged, the PRCS worked with the Gaza Health Ministry and the Israeli military to guarantee safe passage for their ambulance crew to rescue Rajab. The ambulance reported that they were being targeted by the Israeli military with laser lights. After sounds of gunfire or an explosion, the connection was lost.[20][3] The fate of Rajab and the paramedics was unknown[23] until 12 days later on 10 February 2024, when the family returned after the withdrawal of the Israeli military, discovering the car with Rajab, Hamadeh, and the rest of her uncle's entire family deceased.[24] The windows were blown out, and the doors were covered with bullet holes.[25] The Red Crescent ambulance was found a few feet away, completely destroyed by an Israeli missile,[26] with two ambulance workers,[27] Yusuf al-Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, also killed.[28]

Investigation

 
The destroyed car that belonged to Hind's uncle

According to an initial investigation from the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, Rajab and her relatives were killed by the Israeli army in a "planned execution"; using a US-made missile, the IDF also killed the Red Crescent paramedics sent to rescue the young girl.[29] Shell fragments of an American-made M830A1 projectile were found at the site of the bombed Red Crescent ambulance that was looking for Rajab and her family; when asked about American munitions being used to target Palestinian civilians, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated that he is "not able to verify the reports", and that "our expectation is that they use them in full compliance with the laws of war".[30]

An IDF spokesperson claimed, after a preliminary investigation, that there were no IDF troops near the vehicle or within firing range and that, due to the lack of troops, ambulance coordination was unnecessary to rescue Rajab.[4] 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."[31] 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.[32][6]

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.[33]

An investigation conducted by The Washington Post in April 2024 countered claims made by the Israeli military. The investigation, which used satellite imagery, concluded that Israeli armored vehicles were indeed in the vicinity of the car where Rajab was killed, and the 300mm hole on the Red Crescent ambulance is consistent with an Israeli tank round.[5] The Post also confirmed that the wreckage of the ambulance was found on a route provided by COGAT, an arm of Israeli Defense Ministry that coordinates safe passages for medical vehicles with the IDF.[5]

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.[34] The Palestinian Red Crescent utilized their social media accounts to post photos of both paramedics and Rajab for multiple days, while appealing for information about their locations.[20] 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".[16]

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.[35] 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?".[28] The Red Crescent laid the blame of the incident at Israel, accusing it of deliberately targeting the ambulance crew.[36] The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called on the International Criminal Court to hold those responsible for Rajab's death accountable.[37] On 13 February, the human rights group Justice For All submitted a case to the ICC charging the IDF with multiple war crimes for the killing of Hind Rajab.[38]

In April 2024, pro-Palestinian student protesters participating in the ongoing campus occupation at Columbia University in New York City seized Hamilton Hall, an academic building on the university's Morningside Heights campus. The students unfurled a large banner renaming the building "Hind's Hall" in honor of the young child.[39] During a segment on CNN that discussed the renaming of Hamilton Hall, host Kasie Hunt explained to viewers: "Hind is a reference to a woman who was killed in Gaza." The description has been criticised as an example of the adultification of Palestinian children and a pro-Israel bias on CNN.[40]

In May 2024, American rap artist Macklemore released "Hind's Hall", a protest song in honor of Rajab as well as in support of the student protests. Macklemore criticized the music industry's supposed prioritization over "petty issues" such as the Drake–Kendrick Lamar feud rather than the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. As part of the track's release, Macklemore stated that all proceeds generated from streams would go towards UNRWA.[41] At UC Berkeley, student protesters occupied an abandoned historic building on campus known as the Anna Head complex and renamed it "Hind's House."[42][43]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Most media sources reported Rajab's age at death as six years old. Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor[1] and CNN[2] reported that Rajab was five years old.

References

  1. ^ "Gaza: Initial findings show Israeli army purposefully kills a child, uses an American-made missile to target her rescue crew". Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor. February 2024. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  2. ^ "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. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024. CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct Hind's age.
  3. ^ a b "Body of 6-year-old killed in 'deliberate' Israeli fire found after 12 days". Al Jazeera. 10 February 2024. Archived from the original on 19 February 2024.
  4. ^ 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". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Palestinian paramedics said Israel gave them safe passage to save a 6-year-old girl in Gaza. They were all killed". The Washington Post. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Hind Rajab: Were Israeli troops around where the six-year-old was killed?". Al Jazeera. 26 February 2024. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Gaza: ICJ ruling offers hope for protection of civilians enduring apocalyptic conditions, say UN experts". United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights. 31 January 2024. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024. The ICJ found it plausible that Israel's acts could amount to genocide and issued six provisional measures, ordering Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent genocidal acts, including preventing and punishing incitement to genocide, ensuring aid and services reach Palestinians under siege in Gaza, and preserving evidence of crimes committed in Gaza... "The landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) offers the first concrete hope to protect civilians in Gaza enduring apocalyptic humanitarian conditions, destruction, mass killing, wounding and irreparable trauma... The ruling is a significant milestone in the decades-long struggle for justice by the Palestinian people," the UN experts said.
  8. ^ "One week after ICJ ruling, is Israel following the court's orders?". Al Jazeera. 2 February 2024. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024. In the week since the ICJ's ruling, Israeli forces have continued their military offensive in Gaza, and nearly 1,000 more Palestinians have been killed... Despite the ruling, hospitals have also continued to be targeted in Israeli attacks, putting yet more strain on Gaza's collapsing healthcare system. The Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza came under fire this week, and witnesses reported that tanks pounded areas of Khan Younis, particularly around Nasser Hospital, the largest hospital still functioning in southern Gaza... ""Hundreds of people have been killed in the last three or four days, and clearly Israel believes it has license to do as it wishes," Pandor (South African FM said on Wednesday... On Thursday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant made clear that Israel does not intend to cease its military operation in Gaza anytime soon. Gallant was one of three Israeli officials criticised personally by the ICJ for comments they have made that could be deemed to incite genocide against Palestinians...
  9. ^ "The Court to deliver its Order on Friday 26 January 2024 at 1 p.m." (PDF). International Court of Justice. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  10. ^ "The battle of northern Gaza is almost over". The Economist. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  11. ^ "'Bloodbath': Israel continues to target Gaza hospitals and civilians". aljazeera.com. Aljazeera. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Northern Gaza no longer has a functional hospital, WHO says". reuters.com. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  13. ^ 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. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  14. ^ a b c 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. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ 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. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  17. ^ Boboltz, Sara (10 February 2024). "Hind Rajab, Gaza 6-Year-Old Who Spoke Of Fear On Phone To Rescuers, Found Dead". Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024. Hind had stayed on the phone for around three hours with the Palestine Red Crescent Society on Jan. 29, desperately pleading for help, the agency said... She was reportedly fleeing the city with her aunt, uncle and cousins when they were caught in gunfire. It was Layan Hamadeh, Hind's 15-year-old cousin, who initially called the Red Crescent for help until falling silent... The Red Crescent shared audio from the trapped kids on social media, where it horrified listeners worldwide.
  18. ^ Kanj, Jamal (22 February 2024). "Rafah between Netanyahu's metaphysical power and the West's disconnect with reality". Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Hind's uncle, Bashar Hamada, drove a black Kia Picanto along with his wife and their children: four-year-old Sarah, Mohammed, 11, Raghad, 12, Sana, 13, Layan 15, and their six-year-old cousin, Hind. Bashar heeded Israeli orders seeking a "safe zone" for his family and niece in Gaza. No room left in the crowded small car, Hind's mother and elder siblings fled on foot.

    On 29 January, it was a little after one in the afternoon when an Israeli tank blocked the road ahead of the car. Bashar frantically waved a white flag. The machine gun on the turret pointed at the car. The maze of the machine gun's sight spider web shielded the gunner's face. The tank swung its heavy gun swiftly in the direction of the car. The ominous 120mm black hole glared at them. The children cried out in terror. Suddenly, a blazing flare, and a ball of fire flickered from the machine gun. A burst of bullets shattered the windshield, bullets ricocheted off the body of the car.
  19. ^ "Cousin of Hind Rajab, 6, haunted by her last call after family car shot at in Gaza". The Guardian. 11 February 2024. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  20. ^ a b c 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. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  21. ^ a b "Six-year-old Gaza girl found dead days after pleading for help". France 24. 10 February 2024. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  22. ^ Salam, Yasmine (4 February 2024). "6-year-old girl in Gaza goes missing after she is caught in fighting". NBC News. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  23. ^ "Israeli forces 'deliberately targeted' medics sent to rescue little girl". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  24. ^ Zaanoun, Adel. "Six-year-old Gaza Girl Found Dead Days After Pleading For Help". Barron's. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  25. ^ Graziosi, Graig (11 February 2024). "A child and the medics trying to save her were killed by Israeli tanks". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  26. ^ 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. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  27. ^ "Bodies of Gaza girl, ambulance team trapped under Israeli fire found after 12 days". ABC News. 10 February 2024. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  28. ^ a b Williamson, Lucy (10 February 2024). "Hind Rajab, 6, found dead in Gaza days after phone calls for help". BBC. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  29. ^ "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. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  30. ^ "US investigating Israeli strikes that have killed civilians". www.aa.com.tr. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024. Six-year-old Hind Rajab was recently killed alongside her family in a car by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip while reports by the Geneva-based Euro-Med Monitor said shell fragments of an American-made M830A1 projectile were found at the site of a bombed Red Crescent ambulance that was looking for the family.
  31. ^ "Israel says its troops were not present where Palestinian girl Hind was killed". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  32. ^ "Hind Rajab: Were Israeli troops around where the six-year-old was killed?". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  33. ^ Magid, Jacob (13 February 2024). "US calls for 'urgent' probe into alleged IDF killing of 6-year-old Gazan girl". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  34. ^ "Israel-Gaza war: Unknown fate of six-year-old Hind Rajab trapped under fire". BBC. 5 February 2024. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  35. ^ "Western media outlets rebuked over coverage of Hind story". Al Bawaba. 12 February 2024. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  36. ^ "Body of Gaza girl found days after recordings emerged of her pleas for help under fire". The Times of Israel. 10 February 2024. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  37. ^ "Palestinian Foreign Ministry slams killing of Hind Rajab". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  38. ^ "Justice For All Takes Action: Highlighting Israel's Role in Hind Rajab's Death Through Submission to the International Criminal Court". justiceforall.org. 13 February 2024. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  39. ^ Watkins, Ali (30 April 2024). "Columbia Protesters Rename Hamilton Hall to 'Hind's Hall'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024 – via NYTimes.com.
  40. ^ Mahdawi, Arwa (4 May 2024). "The adultification of children has consequences from Palestine to the US". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  41. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (7 May 2024). "Macklemore releases pro-Palestine track Hind's Hall". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  42. ^ Dinkelspiel, Frances (16 May 2024). "Preservationists worry about fate of occupied Cal building". The Berkeley Scanner. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  43. ^ Regimbal, Alec. "12 people arrested in occupation of abandoned UC Berkeley hall". SFGATE. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
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