Israeli Military Announces Criminal Investigations into Conduct in Gaza

Israel’s military has launched its first criminal investigations related to troop conduct in Gaza. The focus is on the deaths of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and 15 Palestinian paramedics.

The military will not investigate three other serious incidents. These include attacks that resulted in the deaths of aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders. Reviews of 150 incidents in Gaza have led to five specific cases being addressed.

Chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, criticized the decision as unjust and distressing. The decisions come amid international criticism regarding these incidents.

Specific Cases of Investigation

Hind Rajab died in a vehicle shooting. She was trapped with her family, seeking help before being killed in February 2024. The shooting of 15 medics in March 2025 followed by the troops informing troops buried their bodies in a mass grave.

The Human Rights Ministry in Gaza reports over 73,000 deaths, with significant numbers of women and children affected. Rights groups and the U.N. claim these actions border on genocide and include war crimes.

Israel rebuts these accusations, pointing fingers at Hamas for civilian casualties. It argues that Hamas uses populated areas for military operations.

Justice System Concerns

Israeli officials maintain that its justice system can handle troop misconduct. However, rights organizations argue that the accountability rate is extremely low.

Many significant cases remain unmentioned in the latest announcements. This includes a high-profile attack on a hospital that killed several journalists in August 2025.

“An international investigation is essential for revealing the truth and ensuring accountability,” said Hind Rajab’s grandmother. “We demand justice, not only for Hind, but all Gaza’s children.”

Military Admission and Call for International Investigation

The military admitted firing on the vehicle carrying Hind and her relatives. Her cousin’s frantic call to emergency services recorded their final moments.

The military also admitted killing two medics in the ambulance dispatched for the family’s rescue. Dyab Abou Jahjah from the Hind Rajab foundation labeled these investigations as misleading intentions to exonerate culprits.

The Palestinian Red Crescent and other entities continue to call for international investigations, pointing to insufficient Israeli measures.

A docudrama on Hind’s death, “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” has received international accolades, including an Oscar nomination.

Killing of the Paramedics

In the paramedics’ case, Israeli troops fired on an ambulance and other emergency vehicles. Evidence emerged contradicting initial military statements. A commander’s demotion followed.

Eid Azizi, Red Crescent spokesperson, emphasized that the truth is evident to the global community.

No Probe into World Central Kitchen Strike

The military decided against a criminal investigation into airstrikes on a World Central Kitchen convoy. Seven staffers were killed despite coordination with the military.

World Central Kitchen stated the military account confuses events and distorts facts, urging an independent investigation.

The military also refrained from investigating Doctors Without Borders staff deaths in two separate events. The military concluded these did not warrant criminal inquiries.

Next Steps

Military investigators now take on the probes with findings submitted to military prosecutors. The military advocate general will decide on further investigations or potential charges.

Tal Steiner from HaMoked cites historical rarity in prosecuting soldiers. Prosecution rates are low; a Yesh Din analysis shows only 0.17% of probes led to prosecution from 2014 to 2022.

Ongoing Conflict

The conflict, initiated on October 7, 2023, by Hamas militants, has resulted in thousands of fatalities, predominantly civilians. Despite a ceasefire, Israeli strikes have persisted, significantly impacting civilian life in Gaza.

Casualty records from Gaza’s Health Ministry are considered generally reliable, with women and children constituting nearly half of the fatalities.