Military Accountability Shifts in Gaza as Criminal Probes Open Into High-Profile Killings
The decision follows a comprehensive internal review of 150 incidents by military authorities.
The Anatomy of the Investigations: Hind Rajab and Tel al-Sultan
The first case centers on an incident from January 29, 2024. According to the Israeli military report, forces fired on a car approaching their position in Gaza City. The vehicle carried five-year-old Hind Rajab and several relatives. Five passengers died immediately, while Hind and her 15-year-old cousin Layan Hamada survived initially. Layan managed to call the Palestine Red Crescent Society before gunfire cut her connection. Hind remained trapped on the phone for hours. An ambulance dispatched by the Red Crescent was subsequently hit by a shell. Twelve days later, rescue workers recovered the bodies of Hind, seven relatives, and two paramedics. The military report states that the criminal investigation was initiated due to alleged failures in coordinating the movement of the Red Crescent ambulance.
The second case involves the deaths of 15 emergency workers from the Red Crescent, Palestinian Civil Defense, and the United Nations. On March 23, 2025, Israeli troops fired on their vehicles in Tel al-Sultan in northern Rafah. According to the military report, troops were staging an early morning ambush against Hamas militants along a central access route. Soldiers fired on what they believed to be a Hamas vehicle, subsequently opening fire on other emergency vehicles arriving at the scene. The military report notes that troops then decided to crush the vehicles and cover the bodies with metal mesh. UN officials later recovered 15 bodies from a shallow grave near the wrecked vehicles. The military stated that six of the dead belonged to Hamas, but added that the firing raised a reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct, prompting a criminal probe.
Where the Line is Drawn: Cases Excluded From Criminal Probes
While the military advanced these two inquiries, the report also detailed cases that would not face criminal investigation. Notably, the April 2024 airstrikes on a World Central Kitchen convoy—which killed seven aid workers whose vehicle roofs bore clear, visible logos—did not clear the threshold for a criminal probe. According to the military findings, personnel had mistakenly identified movements, closing the door on criminal proceedings for that specific tragedy alongside two other reviewed incidents.
| Incident | Date | Casualties | Military Action Taken |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hind Rajab Car Attack | January 29, 2024 | Hind Rajab, 5 relatives, 2 paramedics | Criminal investigation launched over ambulance coordination failure |
| Tel al-Sultan Paramedic Killings | March 23, 2025 | 15 emergency workers (Red Crescent, Civil Defense, UN) | Criminal investigation launched into firing and subsequent vehicle crushing |
| World Central Kitchen Convoy | April 2024 | 7 aid workers | No criminal probe; classified as a mistaken identification |
Geopolitical Aftershocks and International Scrutiny
