Hind Rajab is a Palestinian child who lost her life in 2024 in the Gaza Strip when the vehicle she was in with her family was struck by Israeli forces. Audio recordings of her phone calls with the Palestinian Red Crescent during the incident were released and sparked widespread international反响. Her name was later given to the Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), which has become one of the focal points for legal initiatives concerning allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Early Life and Family

Hind Rajab (هند رامي إياد رجب, Hind Rami Iyad Rajab) was born on 3 May 2018 in Gaza. At the time of the incident, she was five years old. She was a Palestinian child living in the city of Gaza, near the Tel al-Heva neighborhood. At the moment of the attack, Hind was in a vehicle with her uncle, her uncle’s wife, and three cousins, attempting to reach a safer area within the city.

The Incident of 29 January 2024

Date and Location

The incident occurred on the morning of 29 January 2024, in the vicinity of Tel al-Heva neighborhood in Gaza City. The family had left their home early that morning and departed by vehicle. On the same morning at 09:32, the Israeli military issued a statement requesting residents of western Gaza City, including Tel al-Heva, to move southward. Satellite imagery indicated that the road to the south was blocked by debris from a recently bombed building.

The Family’s Movement and Initial Fire

Hind’s mother stated that shortly after leaving their home, the vehicle came under fire at a northern intersection. Satellite imagery shows military vehicles resembling Merkava-type Israeli armored vehicles at that intersection.

Emergency Call and Audio Analysis

During the initial attack, four people in the vehicle were killed instantly. Hind and her 15-year-old cousin, Layan Hamade, survived briefly and attempted to call for help. On 30 January 2024, the Palestinian Red Crescent released an audio recording to the public, confirming that Layan Hamade had contacted them following the attack on the vehicle and pleaded for assistance.

At approximately 14:30, Layan Hamade, the other child in the vehicle, called the emergency line. A 28-second recording published by the PRCS reveals Layan stating she was hiding inside the vehicle and that a tank was nearby, amid intense gunfire.

An acoustic analysis conducted by Earshot determined that 64 rounds were fired within six seconds, with a rate of fire between 750 and 900 rounds per minute, enabling technical inferences regarding the type of weapon used.

The Deaths of Layan Hamade and Hind Rajab

While Layan Hamade was calling for help, gunfire was heard, and shortly afterward, she died. Five-year-old Hind remained the sole survivor in the vehicle.

For the duration she was trapped among the bodies of her relatives, Hind maintained phone contact with Red Crescent personnel, repeatedly pleading for rescue.

Hind’s final words to the Red Crescent operators were: “They are all dead, come and take me, I don’t want to be left alone here. I am so scared, please send someone to get me.” These words became Hind Rajab’s last. She begged the Red Crescent personnel she spoke with for over three hours to rescue her from among the dead bodies of her family.

Nibal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent, said of Hind Rajab’s final moments: “Hind witnessed the Israeli soldiers shooting her family. Trapped inside a car with five corpses and surrounded by blood, the five-year-old girl waited for three hours for our teams to come. She screamed in terror, repeatedly saying, ‘Please come and take me.’ Israeli tanks surrounded her, and she lived in horror and panic.”^【1】

The Kia Picanto Vehicle Attacked (Anadolu Agency)

The Attacked Vehicle

Vehicle Condition

According to a report by Forensic Architecture, Hind and her family were in a Kia Picanto. The vehicle was photographed by journalists 12 days after Israeli forces withdrew from the area. Kinematic analysis of the vehicle’s position and physical deformation indicated that it may have been pushed from its right front bumper and that the distortion of the windshield suggested it had been crushed by a vehicle similar to a bulldozer.

Vehicle Relocation

Satellite imagery shows that the vehicle had moved between its position at the time of the attack and its location on 10 February. In an afternoon image taken on the day of the attack, the vehicle was visible in front of a gas station; by 8 February, it was found on a sidewalk near a flower bed.

Mapping of Bullet Impacts

A total of 335 bullet impacts were identified on the vehicle. Most entry holes were determined to have originated from the right side of the vehicle, enabling inferences about the probable positions of the shooters.

Firing Distance

For 12 identifiable shots recorded, the time difference between the supersonic crack of the bullet and the muzzle blast indicated that the shots were fired from a distance of 13 to 23 meters. This range suggests the shooter had a direct line of sight to the occupants of the vehicle.

Possible Tank Position

A simulation based on the alignment of entry and exit holes on the vehicle narrowed the possible firing position of the tank and confirmed that the tank crew could have clearly seen the people inside the vehicle.

Death of the Paramedics

At 17:40, permission was granted to send an ambulance, and two paramedics, Yusuf al-Zeyno and Ahmed al-Madhoun, departed from al-Ahli Hospital.

Upon arrival at the scene, the ambulance came under fire. During a radio communication with the PRCS, the paramedics reported seeing the vehicle when an explosion occurred.

Ambulance Examination

Satellite imagery revealed a large burn mark near the ambulance. Three-dimensional modeling confirmed the location of these marks and established the ambulance’s probable position at the time of the attack.

A 23×26 cm exit hole was found on the left rear door of the ambulance. A sabot fragment consistent with a 120 mm M830A1 HEAT-MP-T round was recovered nearby. The structure of the exit hole indicates the ambulance was struck by tank ammunition.

Directional analysis, combined with tank positions identified in satellite imagery, confirmed that the attack was most likely carried out by an Israeli tank.

Recovery of Bodies and Confirmation of Death

Approximately 12 days after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, on 10 February 2024, the vehicle containing Hind and her relatives was located near the Ministry Intersection in the Tel al-Heva neighborhood of Gaza City. On the same day, the bodies of the two paramedics were found approximately 50 meters from the ambulance.

Statements Regarding Israeli Soldiers and Commanders

Al Jazeera published on 29 January 2024 the names of certain Israeli military officials alleged to be responsible for the killings of Hind Rajab, her family, and the ambulance crew. The program identified Brigadier General Benny Aharon, commander of Israel’s 401st Armored Brigade, and Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Ella, commander of the 52nd Battalion, as the military officials implicated in the incident.

Diyab Abu Jahjah, founder and president of the Hind Rajab Foundation, claimed that the Israeli armored unit entering Gaza City was known as the “Vampire Empire,” and that its commander, Shaun Blass, had issued the order to kill Hind Rajab. It was also stated that the identities of several Israeli soldiers, including Argentine national Itai Shukerkov, had been identified.

Hind Rajab Infographic (Anadolu Agency)

Reactions and Political Statements

The death of Hind Rajab sparked widespread international attention as one of the most emblematic incidents illustrating the impact of ongoing hostilities in Gaza on civilians. Following the revelation of the incident, various political actors called for the reaffirmation of obligations to protect civilian populations, the imperative that medical personnel in conflict zones must not be targeted, and the need for full transparency regarding the circumstances of the attack. These statements generated divergent political assessments from both regional actors and international institutions, creating a multidimensional public debate.

Palestinian officials and certain regional political entities argued that the incident must be interpreted as a deliberate attack on civilians, highlighting violations of international humanitarian law concerning the protection of children and medical workers in conflict zones. These assessments emphasized that the deaths of civilians in the same vehicle as Hind Rajab and the ambulance crew dispatched to provide aid were incompatible with established rules guaranteeing the safety of medical personnel and humanitarian access in conflict areas. Some political actors stressed that the targeting of the ambulance despite prior coordination required further clarification.

On the international stage, following the news of the incident, human rights organizations and political representatives drew attention to the rising number of civilian casualties and called for the activation of investigative mechanisms. Experts in the law of armed conflict and relevant institutions argued that independent examinations must be conducted to determine whether targeting an area containing children and medical personnel complies with international norms. In this context, calls for transparent disclosure of the conditions surrounding the incident and the clear assignment of responsibility gained prominence.

The death of Hind Rajab also triggered a wave of legal initiatives. Several international legal experts and civil society organizations demanded investigations into whether the incident constitutes a war crime or a crime against humanity. Legal proceedings have been initiated in various countries to assess individual accountability. These efforts have emphasized the necessity of upholding the principle of civilian protection in conflict zones and the critical importance of ending impunity.

Diyab Abu Jahjah, Founder and President of the Hind Rajab Foundation (Anadolu Agency)

Hind Rajab Foundation (Hind Rajab Foundation)

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), named after Hind Rajab, was established in September 2024 as a Brussels-based human rights organization. The foundation’s stated purpose is to document war crimes and human rights violations in Gaza, initiate legal proceedings to hold perpetrators accountable before national and international judicial bodies, and serve as a voice for victims.

The foundation’s founder is political activist Diyab Abu Jahjah. After collecting evidence regarding crimes committed in Gaza, the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has transported these materials to countries with universal jurisdiction laws and has initiated legal proceedings against dozens of Israeli soldiers in eight countries to date.

The Voice of Hind Rajab

The film “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” written and directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, centers on Hind Rajab’s experiences, particularly her phone calls with the Palestinian Red Crescent. The film incorporates the original audio recordings of Hind’s conversations with Red Crescent emergency operators. The production team includes Nadim Cheikhrouha, Odessa Rae, and James Wilson.

The world premiere of “The Voice of Hind Rajab” took place on 3 September 2025 at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it received 23 minutes of standing ovation—the longest in the festival’s history.

Director Ben Hania decided to bring the project to life after first hearing Hind’s audio recording. During the script development process, she maintained prolonged contact with Hind’s mother and Red Crescent staff involved in the calls, shaping the narrative based on their testimonies.

The production received support from many internationally renowned actors and directors. Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jonathan Glazer are among the film’s executive producers. Phoenix and Mara also attended the film’s screening in Venice.