Israel’s military announced on Wednesday that it would initiate internal investigations into the deaths of Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in January 2024, and 15 emergency and aid workers in March 2025 in Gaza. Despite rights groups expressing skepticism about the outcome, the military stated that these investigations were prompted by inquiries conducted by its Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism. The military disclosed decisions regarding five incidents involving Palestinian fatalities.
Among the incidents reviewed was the tragic killing of seven aid workers affiliated with the World Central Kitchen charity in April 2024. Following an examination, the military concluded that there was no substantial evidence of criminal wrongdoing warranting a criminal investigation in that case.
The Israeli military emphasized the demanding nature of its operations, spanning multiple fronts over an extensive period. They underscored their commitment to evaluating exceptional incidents occurring during combat, in accordance with international and domestic laws.
The deaths of Hind Rajab in February 2024 and the 15 Palestinian medics in May 2025 garnered significant international attention. However, Israeli rights groups highlighted the challenges in achieving convictions in cases involving Israeli troops accused of misconduct against Palestinians.
According to a spokesperson from the Israeli rights organization Yesh Din, the rate of indictments relative to the number of complaints against soldiers and commanders is strikingly low. In instances where convictions are secured, the sentences are often deemed as disproportionately lenient compared to the gravity of the offenses.
During Israel’s response to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, Hind Rajab found herself trapped in a car for hours, desperately seeking help from Palestinian medics via phone while her relatives had already perished. Tragically, when an ambulance eventually reached the scene, communication with the girl and the rescuers was lost. It took twelve days to recover the bodies of Hind Rajab, her family members, and two ambulance workers from the site.