IDF Releases Findings on High-Profile Gaza War Incidents, From Hind Rajab to Aid Workers

The IDF today (Wednesday) released the results of its legal review of five unusual incidents that took place during the fighting in the Gaza Strip and drew public and international attention. The cases include the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen workers, the death of the child Hind Rajab, a shooting in which 15 Palestinians, including medical personnel, were killed, and two incidents in which Doctors Without Borders workers were killed.

According to the IDF Spokesperson, the General Staff Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism, established under a government decision, is responsible for conducting factual assessments of unusual operational incidents. Its findings are used by military commanders in making command decisions, as well as by the Military Advocate General's Corps in considering whether to open a criminal investigation. Since the outbreak of the war, the mechanism has completed reviews of about 150 incidents and forwarded its findings to the military prosecution for consideration.

The Hind Rajab Case: Military Police Investigation Opened

One of the incidents to be referred for further investigation is the death of the child Hind Rajab and members of the Hamada family in Gaza City on January 29, 2024. According to the review, IDF forces fired at a vehicle that approached them while traveling against the evacuation route announced by the IDF Spokesperson for area residents. According to published reports, it was the Hamada family vehicle. Five of its passengers were killed, while Hind and her cousin Layan remained alive.

In the hours that followed, a phone call took place with rescue personnel, initially involving both girls and later Hind alone. Following the call, the arrival of a Red Crescent ambulance was coordinated. It was alleged that when the ambulance arrived at the scene, a shell was fired at it and the two paramedics inside were killed. Several days later, the bodies of all seven Hamada family members, including Hind and Layan, were recovered from the vehicle, and the bodies of the two paramedics were recovered from the ambulance.

The IDF said that "in light of apparent failures regarding the coordination of the Red Crescent ambulance's movement," it was decided to refer the incident for a Military Police investigation. Because of the investigation, no further details from the mechanism's review were provided.

15 Killed in Tel al-Sultan: Reasonable Suspicion of an Offense

A Military Police investigation was also opened following three shooting incidents in Tel al-Sultan on March 23, 2025, in which 15 Palestinians were killed, including medical personnel, paramedics, and a UN employee.

According to the findings, an IDF force was preparing for a raid in the area and set up an ambush along a main access route. At first, the force fired at a vehicle identified as a Hamas vehicle. About an hour later, a report was received about five vehicles moving quickly toward the force. The vehicles stopped nearby, their passengers exited quickly, and the force decided to open fire. About 15 minutes later, fire was also directed at another vehicle that arrived at the scene.

It later emerged that the vehicles hit in the first two shooting incidents were a fire truck and ambulances, while the vehicle hit in the third incident was a Palestinian UN vehicle. Six of the 15 people killed were identified in the review as affiliated with Hamas. After the incident, the force decided to crush the vehicles and cover the bodies with an iron net.

Following the review, the IDF Chief of Staff ordered that a command note be entered for the commander of the 14th Brigade, and the deputy commander of the Golani Reconnaissance Unit left his position. The military prosecution later determined that the shooting raised "reasonable suspicion of an offense," and therefore decided to continue the review through a Military Police investigation.

Seven WCK Workers: No Criminal Investigation Will Be Opened

Another incident reviewed was the April 1, 2024 strike in Deir al-Balah in which seven employees of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed.

According to the review, IDF forces identified an armed person on a truck in the aid convoy, as well as vehicles circling the trucks in a way that, in their assessment and based on their operational experience, matched a scenario in which Hamas had taken over the convoy. It later emerged that WCK had hired an armed security team to protect the convoy after its departure from the pier was delayed until nighttime. The security team's presence was not coordinated with the IDF.

After the convoy arrived at a warehouse, several people were mistakenly identified as armed. They entered vehicles that traveled south while deviating from the route coordinated in advance. The forces, believing Hamas members had taken over the convoy, struck the vehicles. During the roughly half-hour in which the forces tracked the vehicles, attempts were made to contact WCK representatives to verify that they were not organization personnel, but those attempts were unsuccessful.

Following the initial review, the brigade's support commander, an officer with the rank of major, and the brigade's chief of staff, a reserve colonel, were dismissed. The brigade commander, the commander of the 162nd Division, and the commander of Southern Command were formally reprimanded.

Because of a prior professional acquaintance with one of those involved, the Military Advocate General did not make the decision in the case personally; it was made by the chief military prosecutor. Despite the failures in forming the assessment that Hamas operatives were in the vehicles, it was determined that the commanders' decisions did not cross the criminal threshold, given the sequence of suspicious signs and the operational circumstances. Therefore, no investigation will be opened and no further steps will be taken beyond those already taken.

The Strike on a Doctors Without Borders Building in Khan Younis

The prosecution also reviewed the firing at a building in Khan Younis on February 20, 2024, which was later found to be a building of Doctors Without Borders (MSF. Two women were killed and seven other people were injured.

According to the review, an IDF force was moving in the evening along a route near Hamas combat compounds, in an area where operational control had not yet been established and where enemy forces were believed to be present. The force spotted a building located at a topographically commanding point overlooking the route and assessed that it could be used to harm soldiers. As a result, a single shell was fired at one of the building's windows.

Unlike other buildings in the area, the lights at the location were off, and no movement was identified inside or around it. At the time of the shooting, the forces did not have current information indicating that the building belonged to Doctors Without Borders. In addition, the forces were moving on the rear side of the building and therefore could not identify the sign displaying the organization's name and logo that was posted at the front.

The prosecution determined that the shooting was carried out for a military purpose against a target the forces assessed, based on its location and the circumstances, to be a military target. Therefore, it did not decide to open a Military Police investigation. However, because of failures uncovered in the strike process, the prosecution ordered an examination of command measures against those involved.

MSF Convoy in Gaza City: Possibility That Those Killed Were Hit by Shrapnel

The fifth case occurred on November 18, 2023, when fire was directed toward a Doctors Without Borders convoy and, according to the allegation, two of its passengers were killed.

The previous day, the movement of a five-vehicle convoy from Gaza City to the organization's clinic in Khan Younis had been coordinated. The convoy arrived at an IDF checkpoint, but the final approval for its movement was given shortly before its departure and was not known to the force at the location. The convoy members were asked to wait while the matter was clarified.

Later, concerned that they would not reach their destination before dark, the organization's personnel decided to return to Gaza City without proper coordination. This was despite the fact that the IDF informed them that the checkpoint's operating hours had been extended, asked them to wait and then continue south, and warned that returning to Gaza City without coordination could endanger them.

As the convoy traveled north again, IDF forces identified it advancing toward them against the approved evacuation direction. The forces fired warning shots several times, which were not aimed at the vehicles. After the convoy continued and came within only several hundred meters of them, the soldiers fired additional warning shots at the road, about 100 meters from the vehicles leading the convoy.

According to the review, it is possible that two convoy passengers were killed by shrapnel from the warning fire, but "it was not found that direct fire was aimed at the convoy at any stage." Under these circumstances, the prosecution determined that the incident did not raise reasonable suspicion of a criminal offense.