Hind Rajab was killed in an Israeli attack on Gaza City on 29 January 2024 [Getty]
A group of US lawmakers on Friday announced they had introduced the Justice for Hind Rajab Act, which would compel the US government to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza.
The lawmakers introducing the bill include senators Peter Welch and Chris Van Hollen, as well as representatives Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, and Joaquin.
The bill stipulates that the Trump administration must provide detailed answers on the death of the child, as well as the pattern of civilian harm in Gaza, and ensure the US is abiding by the Geneva Conventions and prosecuting war crimes.
The legislation is being introduced just days after the documentary, The Voice of Hind Rajab, based on Hind’s story, was nominated for this year’s Oscars, in the best international feature category, representing Tunisia.
Hind was killed in an Israeli attack on Gaza City on 29 January 2024, after she was trapped in a car surrounded by her relatives, who were also killed by Israeli tank fire.
Sound recordings of her pleading to the Palestinian Red Crescent for help captured the attention of the world.
An ambulance was sent to rescue her following a route designated and approved by the Israeli army; however, the Israelis also attacked the ambulance, destroying it and killing the two medics inside it.
The legislation lead sponsored by Welch and Jacobs, who have both expressed their shock and concern over the Israeli army’s actions. Investigations carried out by news outlets and rights groups found that the Israeli military fired over 335 bullets at the car Hind and her family members were in.
“No child should have to face that kind of terror, and no family should have to carry that kind of loss. That’s why I’m incredibly proud to partner with Senator Welch to deliver justice and accountability for Hind Rajab’s murder and all the civilian harm in Gaza. Hind’s story is a devastating reminder of the daily reality faced by Palestinians — and we won’t rest until they have safety, security, and peace,” Jacobs said in a statement.
The London-based Forensic Architecture also carried out an investigation which corroborated reports, using satellite imagery, finding that Israeli tanks were present at the scene and were firing rounds.
“Hind Rajab, her family, and the paramedics who tried to save them, should be alive today. This was not a ‘fog of war’ situation. There wasn’t any reason for the IDF to believe Hind and her family–who were trying to escape the fighting in Gaza–posed a threat,” Welch said in a press statement.
The act would also require the State Department to produce a report on all US and Israeli efforts to investigate and hold accountable individuals linked to the attacks.
