Gaza war: Israeli Army accused of deliberately attacking ambulance, killing six-year-old girl
Six-year-old Hind Rajab went missing after her family's car came under fire in Gaza
The Israeli Army has been accused of deliberately targeting a rescue operation in besieged Gaza that resulted in the death of a six-year-old Palestinian girl. Her dead body was recovered on Saturday (Feb 10), surrounded by corpses of her family members and two ambulance workers.
Allegations by Red Crescent Society
The Palestine Red Crescent Society earlier released audio clips that recorded the girl, named Hind Rajab, pleading with rescuers to “come and get me.” “I’m so scared, please come,” she was heard saying in another audio clip, released some 12 days ago.
Following the call, the survivors reportedly dispatched an ambulance to the area after deciding it was safe to do so. The ambulance had two crews - Youssef Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoon.
However, contact with the ambulance and Hind was soon lost after the team came under an alleged attack by the Israeli Army. “The occupation deliberately targeted the Red Crescent crew despite prior coordination to allow the ambulance to arrive at the site to rescue Hind,” the Red Crescent said in a statement.
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Family members of Hind Rajab found the girl’s dead body, along with those of her uncle and aunt and their three children, still in a car near a roundabout in the Tel al-Hawa suburb of Gaza City, the official Palestinian WAFA news agency reported.
Another of Hind’s uncles, Sameeh Hamadeh, said the car was peppered with bullet holes.
28,000 people killed in Gaza
The war between Hamas and Israel began on October 7 when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies.
The Israeli military has since launched a brutal retaliatory campaign in the enclave, marked with intense bombardment and targeting of Hamas infrastructure. Israeli’s contentious actions in Gaza have killed nearly 28,000 people so far, according to Gaza health authorities.
During the war, the Israeli military has said it takes steps to avoid civilian casualties. It has faced strong international criticism over the toll of dead and injured.
(With inputs from agencies)