Mourning the loss of the angel of Gaza

Honoring Hind Rajab and her family on the one year anniversary of their murder

Today marks a horrible anniversary. The anniversary of the brutal murder of Hind Rajab. A five year old girl from Gaza who has become the face of the horrors that Israel has inflicted upon the people of Gaza and all of Palestine for generations.

Hind should be celebrating a ceasefire right now.

Scratch that. Hind should be going to school and playing with her cousins and growing up and looking forward to her 6th birthday.

Instead she, along with six of her relatives who were in the car that was shot by a tank with over 300 rounds of ammunition over six hours, and the two brave paramedics that attempted to rescue her, are dead.

We must never forget Hind and her family. We must never forget what the Israeli military did to her over twelve hours. There is no equivocating the evil that was inflicted upon this child or the tens of thousands of children that have been killed, dismembered and orphaned. There is no way that this can be chalked up to a ”regrettable accidental casualty” or a belief that there was a terrorist or whatever lies and hasbara that Israel attempts to use to persuade the public that this was an unfortunate accident.

The video recordings of her screams for help on the phone are preserved for anyone with the stomach to hear. The recordings from the Palestinian Red Crescent to the IDF are available to hear. The forensic evidence, recreated and shared in graphic detail thanks to the firm Forensic Architecture, displays how the tank shot over 330 rounds of ammunition at her car over twelve hours.

(warning - the video below is heartbreaking)

We must never forget how the United States has allowed this sham of an investigation to go on for one year with no fall out or consequences. The smug look of the State Department spokesmen as they tried to pretend to care about this murder but offering nothing beyond “we have asked Israel to investigate” is tantamount to shrugging your shoulders with a smirk and saying “what do you expect me to do? Care about a Palestinian child?”

This is a crime that even the IDF cannot gloss over so they would prefer that time pass and we forget about her. So the media will do their best to make sure you never see that angelic face or know anything about the circumstances of her brutal murder because everyone with a conscience would immediately be against the Israeli state if they knew the circumstances and the frequency of deliberate child murders in Gaza.

We will never forget this horrific crime and the sheer arrogance with which Israel decided to engage in such a brazen and unspeakable war crime.

The name Hind Rajab needs to be a talking point for every single person who supports Gaza and fights against the occupation.

Had she been an Israeli child the media would have made her name known throughout the world. Because she is Palestinian she is not mentioned in the media or if she is, is referred to as a “young woman” to avoid the discomfort of knowing that the Israeli army deliberately murdered a six year old girl.

The Elham Fund and our collaborating partners are focused on providing financial assistance and resources in Gaza but we do not forget or overlook the importance of pursuing justice. We echo the call to action stated by the Hind Rajab Foundation. In their words:

“You can make a difference by helping us raise awareness through sharing our criminal cases, ensuring that these injustices are brought to light and the public pressure stays on where needed. For those who would like to support our work, we also welcome volunteers and donations. Together, we strive to ensure that justice is achieved for the victims of this genocide and that the war crimes committed by the IDF do not go unpunished.”

This article was written in collaboration with “Sun of Freedom” an organization dedicated to helping orphans, the disabled and the neediest people in Gaza.

Significant thanks to the Hind Rajab Foundation for sharing all this information. You can read in much more detail about Hind and the work being done in her name at the Hind Rajab Foundation.