Israeli military opens criminal probe into 2024 killing of Gaza child Hind Rajab

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced it has opened a criminal investigation into the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed in Gaza in 2024. The referral marks a shift from prior internal handling of the incident and comes two years after the child's death. French reporting noted the timing surprised observers and described the move as “extremely late,” saying the decision to open criminal inquiries into Hind Rajab’s killing and into separate cases involving Gaza paramedics indicates the army recognizes that earlier procedures may have failed. The IDF statement formally initiating a criminal probe was reported by multiple outlets; commentators pointed to the delay between the incident and the new investigation as notable. Coverage also linked this development to parallel referrals involving the deaths of Gaza medical personnel, underscoring broader scrutiny of conduct during the same period of operations. No further operational or evidentiary details from the IDF about the probe’s scope, timeline or findings have been published in these reports.