Kathmandu— Israel has admitted that its troops killed five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab and initiated a criminal investigation into the incident, while simultaneously declining to open a similar inquiry into the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in separate attacks earlier this year. Both incidents, occurring in 2024 amidst the ongoing Gaza conflict, sparked international condemnation over the actions of Israeli forces and represent some of the most prominent civilian casualties of the war. The differing responses to these tragedies have fueled outrage, particularly from Australia following the death of its citizen Zomi Frankcom, one of the aid workers killed.

The Killing of Hind Rajab

Five-year-old Hind Rajab was fleeing Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood with her family in January 2024 when their vehicle came under heavy fire from Israeli forces. Investigators found hundreds of bullet impacts on the car, indicating it had been fired upon at close range and that soldiers would have easily identified the passengers as civilians. Hind survived the initial attack but remained trapped inside the vehicle alongside her deceased relatives for hours, desperately pleading with Palestinian Red Crescent dispatchers via phone for rescue.

An ambulance dispatched to reach Hind after coordinating its route with the Israeli military was subsequently shelled, resulting in the deaths of two paramedics. Twelve days later, following a withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area, Hind’s body and those of her relatives and emergency responders were recovered.

Contrasting Responses to Investigations

Initially denying any presence of its forces near the site of Hind Rajab's death, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) acknowledged on Wednesday that its troops had indeed fired upon the car carrying the girl and her family. The IDF also admitted to firing a shell at the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance attempting to rescue her, stating that the findings and failures in coordination warranted a criminal investigation.

However, regarding the deaths of the WCK aid workers, the military asserted that despite “serious failures” in the attack, commanders’ actions did not suggest criminal misconduct, thus precluding any criminal probe. Israel claimed its troops mistakenly believed a Hamas fighter was traveling with the convoy and alleged it had deviated from an agreed-upon route.

International Outrage and Demands for Accountability

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed outrage over Israel’s decision regarding the WCK killings, stating that it fell “far short of the accountability we expect.” She questioned why two additional missiles were fired after the initial strike on the convoy was already deemed a “catastrophic error,” and revealed that Canberra is still awaiting requested audio from the drone involved in the attack. The family of Zomi Frankcom voiced their disappointment and called for an independent investigation.

WCK also rejected Israel’s findings, emphasizing that the IDF knew its workers were unarmed and had “full visual clarity” of their clearly marked vehicles, asserting that a credible investigation could not be conducted by the Israeli military itself.

Israel Defends Decision, Faces Scrutiny

Following a summons to the Australian Foreign Ministry on Thursday, Israeli Ambassador Hillel Newman defended the IDF’s decision, claiming there was “no criminal intention” to kill civilians and therefore no criminal responsibility. He refused to apologize for the deaths of the aid workers, citing potential “legal ramifications,” and alleging the presence of “a lot of haters of Israel in Australia.”

Israeli rights groups have cautioned that even when investigations are launched into alleged soldier misconduct resulting in Palestinian deaths, prosecutions remain rare. Dan Owen, a researcher with Yesh Din, told Reuters that only a “tiny” proportion of such investigations lead to indictments. Hind’s grandmother also expressed distrust in Israel’s judicial system and called for international pursuit of the case.

More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the start of the Gaza war in 2023, according to local health authorities, including aid workers, medical personnel, and journalists. Israel maintains its operations are targeted at Hamas and other armed groups.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.