Israel’s military announced on Wednesday its intention to conduct internal investigations into the deaths of Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in January 2024 and 15 emergency and aid workers in March 2025 in Gaza. However, human rights organizations expressed skepticism regarding the outcomes of such probes leading to convictions.
The military stated that these investigative decisions were made following assessments by its Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism, which included reviews of five incidents involving the fatalities of Palestinians. Among these incidents was an inquiry into the deaths of seven aid workers affiliated with the World Central Kitchen charity in April 2024. In this case, the military concluded that there was no basis for initiating a criminal investigation due to the absence of evidence indicating criminal misconduct.
Highlighting the challenging operational environment faced by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) over the past few years, the military emphasized its commitment to examining exceptional incidents during combat operations in compliance with international and domestic laws.
The killings of Hind Rajab in February 2024 and the 15 Palestinian medics in May 2025 garnered international attention. Nonetheless, Israeli rights groups pointed out that investigations into alleged criminal misconduct by Israeli troops in such cases rarely result in convictions.
Yesh Din, an Israeli rights organization, criticized the low rate of indictments and lenient sentences for soldiers and commanders found guilty of offenses against Palestinians. Hind Rajab’s grandmother expressed shock at the military’s announcement and called for an impartial investigation by other countries to uncover the truth behind her granddaughter’s death and the plight of children in Gaza.
UNICEF reported last October that around 64,000 Palestinian children had suffered injuries or fatalities since the onset of the Gaza conflict in October 2023. Additionally, a United Nations Human Rights Council report in June accused Israeli security forces of deliberately targeting and killing Palestinian children in Gaza, a claim that Israel vehemently rejected as propaganda.
The tragic incident involving Hind Rajab, who pleaded for help while trapped by Israeli military fire during a Hamas-led attack in October 2023, resulted in the deaths of her relatives and medics. The bodies were recovered days later, sparking global outrage and even inspiring an award-winning film.
In a separate incident in March 2025, the bodies of 15 emergency and aid workers were discovered buried in the sand in southern Gaza. UN officials condemned the killings by Israeli forces, demanding accountability and justice for the victims. The Red Crescent, one of the affected organizations, stressed the importance of protecting medical staff and upholding international laws safeguarding humanitarian workers.