The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has ordered criminal investigations into two separate incidents during the war in Gaza: the killing of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab and her family in January 2024, and the deaths of 15 Palestinian paramedics in March 2025. The military acknowledged for the first time that its forces fired on the vehicle carrying Rajab’s family, reversing prior claims that no Israeli troops were in the area at the time.
IDF admits responsibility for first time
The IDF confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that it had reviewed findings from its Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism and decided to initiate criminal probes into both incidents. The military cited alleged failures in the coordination of a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance attempting to reach Rajab as a factor in the decision to investigate her killing. The IDF also noted that it examines exceptional incidents as part of its obligations under international and domestic law.
Hind Rajab, her relatives, and two paramedics were found dead 12 days after the initial attack, which occurred as the family attempted to flee Israeli military operations in Gaza City. Rajab survived the initial strike but was trapped in the wreckage of her family’s car, where she made desperate pleas for help captured in a widely circulated recording. Her cousin, 15-year-old Layan Hamada, had called the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, describing the chaotic scene before the call was cut off. Rajab later answered a return call, telling operators: “The tank is next to me. I'm so scared. Please come.” The line went dead amid renewed gunfire.
Second probe targets killing of 15 paramedics
The IDF also announced a criminal investigation into the March 2025 killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics in Tel al-Sultan, Gaza. The military stated that the probe would examine the circumstances surrounding the attack, which drew international condemnation after reports emerged that the bodies of the victims were buried in a shallow mass grave by Israeli soldiers. The IDF did not provide further details on the investigation’s scope or timeline.
Broader context of IDF investigations
The announcements follow reviews of approximately 150 incidents involving Israeli troops in Gaza, with decisions made on five cases. The IDF has faced mounting global criticism over its conduct in the war, including attacks on humanitarian workers and civilian infrastructure. In a related development, the IDF cleared its personnel of criminal wrongdoing in the April 2024 strike on a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy that killed seven aid workers, including Australian national Zomi Frankcom. The military acknowledged serious failures in identifying targets but concluded that commanders’ decisions did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct.
The IDF’s investigations into the WCK strike and other incidents have been met with skepticism by human rights organizations, which argue that internal military probes rarely result in convictions. Israeli rights group Yesh Din stated that nearly zero indictments are served relative to the number of complaints filed against soldiers and commanders, and when convictions do occur, sentences are often lenient compared to the severity of the offenses.
Timeline of key events
- January 29, 2024: Hind Rajab and her family are killed when their vehicle comes under Israeli fire in Gaza City. Rajab survives initially but is trapped in the wreckage.
- January 29–February 10, 2024: Rajab makes desperate pleas for help via a Red Crescent call, which ends abruptly amid gunfire. Her body, along with those of five relatives and two paramedics, is recovered on February 10.
- March 2025: 15 Palestinian paramedics are killed in an Israeli military operation in Tel al-Sultan, Gaza.
- April 1, 2024: Seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen are killed in an Israeli strike, prompting global outrage.
- August 2025: The IDF releases findings from reviews of 150 incidents, including decisions on five cases, and announces criminal probes into the Rajab and paramedic killings.