On Wednesday, Israel’s military initiated its first criminal probes regarding troop actions in Gaza. The investigations center on the deaths of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family, along with 15 Palestinian paramedics. The military decided against probing three other incidents involving deceased aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders. After reviewing 150 incidents, decisions were made on five cases. Chef José Andrés of World Central Kitchen protested the move on social media, describing it as ‘wrong and painful.’
The incidents under investigation sparked significant global backlash. Hind Rajab, trapped in a vehicle with relatives, pleaded for help before being killed in February 2024. Following the shooting of 15 medics in March 2025, their bodies were reportedly buried en masse by troops. The Health Ministry in Gaza reports over 73,000 deaths, including numerous women and children, due to the Israeli campaign. International entities accuse Israel of genocide and war crimes, including indiscriminate force and intentional civilian killings.
However, Israel denies these allegations and claims its targets were restricted to Hamas after the group’s October 2023 attack on southern Israel. Israeli officials assert the country’s legal system can address any military wrongdoing, though rights groups argue soldiers face minimal accountability. Wednesday’s statement omitted several prominent killings that Israel previously vowed to examine, such as a hospital attack in southern Gaza that killed five journalists in August 2025, including Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist for The Associated Press.
Hind Rajab’s grandmother asserted to the AP by phone that an international investigation is needed for transparency and justice. She appealed for justice for all Gaza children, not just her granddaughter. In Wednesday’s announcement, the military acknowledged firing on a car carrying Hind, her family, and two paramedics during an Israeli incursion into Gaza City. The paramedics, dispatched by the Palestinian Red Crescent, maintained communication with Hind until contact was lost.
Director Dyab Abou Jahjah of the Hind Rajab foundation criticized the military investigations as a cover-up, demanding international oversight. Raed al-Nims, speaking for the Palestinian Red Crescent, echoed the need for an unbiased inquiry. A docudrama about Hind, ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab,’ received international awards and was Oscar-nominated. A large portrait of Hind was displayed in Barcelona, Spain, demonstrating global concern.
In the paramedic incident, Israeli troops fired on an ambulance attending to victims in Rafah. Footage revealed the emergency teams riding with lights on and visible logos. Despite the evidence, troops bulldozed the bodies and ambulance, burying them in a mass grave. A U.N. team exhumed the victims a week later. Initially, the military justified the shooting, claiming the vehicles approached suspiciously. This narrative shifted after the footage confirmed compliance with emergency protocols. Consequently, a deputy commander was demoted.
The military dismissed pursuing a criminal inquiry into an April 2024 airstrike on a World Central Kitchen convoy that killed seven staff members. Despite coordination with the military, the convoy was struck due to alleged misidentification. World Central Kitchen called the military’s account misleading and sought an independent probe. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong criticized the lack of accountability for the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and demanded further investigation.
No criminal charges will be pursued in the deaths of four Doctors Without Borders staff in two wrongful incidents in November 2023 and February 2024. Ongoing military investigations will be transferred to military prosecutors. They will decide whether to continue probing, indict troops, or abstain from charges. According to Tal Steiner of HaMoked, prosecution rates in such cases are minimal. From 2014-2022, only 0.17% of military investigations led to prosecution, as analyzed by rights group Yesh Din.
The conflict’s toll continues to rise. The war originated on October 7, 2023, with Hamas militants attacking southern Israel, killing 1,200 and abducting 251 individuals. Israeli strikes persist in Gaza post-ceasefire, with at least 1,270 reported deaths as per the Health Ministry. Though the ministry is part of Hamas’ government, its casualty records are considered reliable by the U.N. and experts, noting around half of the fatalities are women and children.