Gaza: The Hind Rajab Foundation has expressed distrust over an internal criminal investigation launched by the Israeli military into incidents involving the deaths of six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, members of her family and paramedics who tried to reach her.
The foundation said such internal investigations cannot be considered a reliable mechanism for justice and accountability when the alleged involvement of Israeli forces is itself under scrutiny. It argued that internal Israeli investigations should not be treated as a substitute for independent international justice mechanisms.
The Israeli military announced that it had opened criminal investigations into the involvement of its forces in the death of Hind Rajab in January 2024 and the deaths of 15 aid workers in Gaza in March 2025. The investigations followed reviews by the military’s Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism.
Hind Rajab was killed in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood along with members of her family. Paramedics who attempted to reach her were also killed.
The foundation said Israeli internal investigations have frequently failed to result in genuine accountability or meaningful punishment for those responsible. It therefore called on governments to conduct independent investigations, arrest and prosecute those responsible, and ensure accountability.
Based in Brussels, the Hind Rajab Foundation was established in September 2024 by human rights activists and was named after the Palestinian child. The organization focuses on legal action against Israeli soldiers and commanders. Its work includes collecting digital evidence and testimonies, identifying soldiers allegedly involved in violations, and filing criminal complaints before courts in different countries under the principle of universal jurisdiction.
The foundation also submits documented case files and formal complaints to the International Criminal Court concerning violations it attributes to Israeli forces.