An investigation has revealed that an Israeli tank fired at the family car of six-year-old Hind Rajab from a distance of just 13 to 23 metres (42 to 75 feet) away, killing the Palestinian child and her relatives in Gaza City in late January.
The investigation, conducted by Forensic Architecture and Earshot in collaboration with Al Jazeera's Fault Lines, used interviews with family members, Palestinian Civil Defence workers, and medical responders to reconstruct the incident.
According to the investigation, the Israeli tank shell directly hit the ambulance that was dispatched to help the family, killing the two paramedics who were attempting to rescue them. The investigation disproves claims by the Israeli military that its forces were not present in the area.
It also reconstructs for the first time the likely position of the Israeli tank when it fired on the car, as well as the likely trajectory of the tank shell that struck the ambulance with a direct hit when it came to rescue Rajab.
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Who Was Hind Rajab?
On 29 January 2024, a six-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, made a desperate plea for help as she was trapped in a car surrounded by the bodies of her relatives in Gaza City.
Hind's family had attempted to flee their neighbourhood as Israeli forces invaded, but their car was hit by Israeli fire, killing everyone inside. Hind was the only survivor, left injured and terrified.
In a phone call to the Palestinian Red Crescent's emergency call centre, Hind begged for help, saying, "The tank is next to me. It's moving... I'm so scared."
The operator tried to keep her calm, asking, "Is it very close?" Hind replied, "Very, very."
Hind's body was found two weeks later, on 10 February, alongside the bodies of six of her family members in the car.
Rajab’s death had caused global condemnation, including in the United States, which has been supporting Israel’s war on Gaza.
