Update 17 June 2025:
Forensic architects told Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines that Israeli tank operators – who killed Hind as she was trapped in a car with her family, would have been able to see that they were targeting her.
Watch the full Fault Lines film, “The Night Won’t End,” here: aje.io/gazanight
Investigation reveals Rajab’s car was hit with 355 bullets and finds it ‘not plausible’ that Israeli tank couldn’t see children inside car.
By MEE staff
Published date: 21 June 2024
This article reports on a forensic investigation conducted by Forensic Architecture, Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines, and Earshot, concluding that Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl, was most likely killed by Israeli tank fire. The investigation utilized a combination of kinetic analysis, satellite imagery, and footage from the scene to determine that the tank responsible for her death was positioned within a short range of the vehicle, allowing for a clear view of the civilians inside. The findings refute Israel’s denial of responsibility and highlight the tragic circumstances surrounding Rajab’s death, making her a symbol of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Key Points
- A forensic investigation conducted by Forensic Architecture, Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines, and Earshot concluded that Israeli tank fire likely killed six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab.
- The investigation used kinetic analysis, satellite imagery, and footage from the scene to determine that the tank responsible was positioned within 13 to 23 meters of the vehicle.
- The tank’s close proximity allowed for a clear view of the vehicle’s occupants, including children, making it unlikely that the shooter could not have seen them.
- The range of rounds per minute fired was consistent with Israeli army-issued weaponry such as the M4 assault rifle or the FN MAG machine gun on a Merkava tank.
- The investigation refutes Israel’s denial of responsibility for the killing, stating that Israeli forces were present at the time of the incident.
- Hind Rajab was trapped in a car with her family for nearly two weeks, under fire from Israeli military forces, before her death.
- Her final plea for help, recorded in an audio recording released by the Palestine Red Crescent Society, became a symbol for pro-Palestine protesters around the world.
- Hind Rajab’s death has been commemorated by various artists and activists, including Macklemore, who released a song titled “Hind’s Hall” in her honor.
Update: 1 July
The father of Hind Rajab, the 6-year old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in a car in Gaza in January, was recently killed, according to journalist Ashraf Mashharawi who spoke recently to Hind’s mom. Hind’s story was told in the recent Al Jazeera English documentary The Night Won’t End. Three of Hind’s cousins, her aunt and uncle were also killed in the January attack. Two Palestinian paramedics who tried to rescue her were also killed when they arrived at the scene to rescue her despite their route being coordinated with Israeli officials. Mashharawi told me Hind’s mother received a text message that her husband had been killed in an Israeli attack. The family was separated as a result of the Israeli siege and had been unable to communicate for days.
Update: 8 Oct 2024
Hind Rajab Foundation @HindRFoundation
BREAKING: The #HindRajabFoundation just filed a complaint against 1,000 Israeli soldiers. Supported by 8,000+ pieces of evidence, this case is a game changer in the efforts for ending Israeli impunity and achieving #JusticeForGaza . https://hindrajabfoundation.org/perpetrators/hind-rajab-foundation-files-historic-icc-complaint-against-1000-israeli-soldiers-for-war-crimes-in-gaza