Israel Military to Investigate High-Profile Gaza Attacks
Israel’s military announced plans to launch criminal investigations into two significant attacks on Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. One case involves the deaths of 6-year-old Hind Rajab and her relatives. Another case involves the killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics. These incidents occurred amid the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.
The military clarified that it would not investigate three other attacks that resulted in the deaths of aid workers. These aid workers were affiliated with organizations like World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders. The military conducted reviews of 150 incidents involving troop conduct in Gaza and made decisions on five cases.
Controversy surrounds the military’s statement, which omits other promised investigations. Notably missing is information on Israeli airstrikes on a hospital in Gaza’s south in August 2025. This attack resulted in the deaths of five journalists, including Mariam Dagga, a freelance visual journalist for The Associated Press and other organizations.
International Attention
The incidents involving the deaths of Hind Rajab in February 2024 and the paramedics in May 2025 attracted international scrutiny. Rajab was with her family in a vehicle trying to escape Gaza City during an Israeli offensive. The Israeli troops fired on their car, killing all except Hind. She managed to call the Palestinian Red Crescent, but contact was lost. Rescuers reached their bodies 12 days later.
Meanwhile, the 15 paramedics died in Rafah when Israeli forces attacked their vehicles. The troops fired at an ambulance, then targeted additional emergency vehicles sent for rescue. Video footage and a sole survivor contradicted the military’s initial claim of ‘suspiciously advancing’ vehicles. These vehicles had visible markings and flashing lights. Troops reportedly bulldozed over the bodies and vehicles, burying them in a mass grave. Recovery efforts began a week later.
A spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent, Eid Azizi, voiced anger over the situation, asserting that international humanitarian laws were ignored. He emphasized that the truth was evident and required no further proof.
Conflict’s Toll
The conflict started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and kidnapped 251 others. Since then, more than 73,000 people have died as a result of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Included in this toll are at least 1,273 deaths occurring after a temporary ceasefire took effect in October. Gaza’s Health Ministry, associated with the Hamas government, maintains comprehensive casualty records viewed as reliable by U.N. agencies. The ministry reports that women and children make up about half of the deceased, though it does not differentiate between civilian and militant casualties.