UN experts stated on Friday that the killing of Palestinian child Hind Rajab in the Gaza Strip, whose pleas for help garnered global sympathy, may constitute a "war crime," while Israel issued an "apology" for the incident.
The experts mentioned in a statement that "the killing of 5-year-old Hind Rajab, her family, and two paramedics could constitute a war crime," adding that Israel's assertion that no soldiers were near the location is "unacceptable."
The Israeli embassy in Geneva emphasized in a statement that the investigation into the incident is now in the hands of an independent body within the army. The embassy stated that the results of the investigation will be presented to the Israeli military prosecutor, who will determine the actions to be taken.
The embassy's statement noted that "the Israeli army apologizes for the harm caused to civilians and will continue to take necessary measures to reduce harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure, to the extent that circumstances permit."
However, the experts observed that "the lack of a proper investigation and identification of those responsible" after five months of the incident is "deeply concerning and could itself constitute a violation of the right to life."
The UN experts indicated that a recent analysis of the "crime scene provides compelling evidence" that the family's vehicle was "in the line of sight of an Israeli tank and was struck from close range using a type of weapon that can only be attributed to Israeli forces."
Despite being mandated by the UN Human Rights Council, these experts do not speak on behalf of the international body.
In the incident, two paramedics from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society were also killed. The experts added that "audio recordings of calls between Hind and emergency services indicate that she was the sole survivor in the vehicle before she was killed as well."
They further stated: "The brutality of these killings illustrates the extent to which the Israeli army has forgotten restraint in its campaign in Gaza: all cases of extrajudicial executions must be investigated."