Jacobs, Welch Introduce Bicameral Bill Demanding Accountability for Hind Rajab, Palestinian Child Killed by Israeli Forces
U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51) and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today led Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) in introducing the Justice for Hind Rajab Act, legislation that requires the U.S. government to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the killing of five-year-old Palestinian child Hind Rajab, her family, and paramedics sent to rescue her. The legislation would require the Trump Administration to provide comprehensive answers on the death of Hind and broader patterns of civilian harm in Gaza.
Hind’s tragic story was the inspiration for a new docudrama film, titled “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” The film follows Red Crescent volunteers as they attempt to rescue Hind and her family and was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best International Feature Film category. The Academy Awards will take place on March 15, 2026.
“Five-year-old Hind should still be alive today. She was a beautiful and brave little girl with her whole life ahead of her. I was horrified by reports of the Israeli Defense Forces firing over 300 bullets at her and her family while they were simply trying to escape Gaza. 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,” said Rep. Jacobs.
“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,” said Senator Welch. “We need answers and accountability for the deaths of Hind, her family, and the paramedics who came to their rescue.”
“Hind Rajab deserves justice, as do the thousands of Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces during the war in Gaza,” said Rep. Castro. “Hind’s heartbreaking cries for help and the terror she felt during her last moments have been heard across the world. No family or child should experience this horrifying brutality and loss. It is unacceptable that no Israeli soldiers have been held accountable for her deaths, or for the deaths of so many thousands of other Palestinian children during this war. I stand with my colleagues and demand an investigation into her murder and justice for her death.”
“Today we honor the life of Hind Rajab, one of the tens of thousands of Palestinian children indiscriminately killed by the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza,” said Rep. Jayapal. “This legislation importantly demands an investigation into her killing so we can finally begin to bring about accountability for the countless war crimes the U.S. has been complicit in inside Gaza.”
On January 29, 2024, five-year-old Palestinian child Hind Rajab, along with six members of her extended family, were killed by machine gun fire from an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) tank while she and her family fleeing fighting and famine in Gaza City. Investigations found a total of 355 bullet holes in Hind’s car. Two paramedics attempting to rescue Hind in an ambulance—along an IDF-approved route—were also killed by Israeli tank fire as they approached the car.
The incident, which was extensively documented and has drawn international attention, has become emblematic of the devastating toll of the Gaza war on civilians, particularly children. Hind is just one of more than at least 20,000 children killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023—the highest rate of children to combatants killed in any contemporary conflict. Despite a tenuous ceasefire, Gaza’s civilians and children have continued to be killed in military operations and airstrikes.
The Justice for Hind Rajab Act would:
- Present Congressional findings on the attack that killed Hind Rajab and broader patterns of civilian harm in Gaza to reassert the United States’ commitment to the Geneva Conventions and the prosecution of war crimes;
- Require a report from the State Department on all U.S. and Israeli efforts to investigate and hold accountable individuals linked to the attacks, and to comply with U.S. prohibitions on assistance to foreign security units credibly implicated in gross violations of human rights; and
- Require certifications by the Secretary of State and Attorney General regarding compliance with U.S. war crimes laws, including a commitment to investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute individuals responsible for the attack on Hind, her family, and the paramedics who responded to the scene.
Learn more about the Justice for Hind Rajab Act.
Read and download the full text of the bill.
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