Hind Rajab: Gaza girl, trapped under Israeli fire, found dead days after begging for help

In a tragic turn of events, the battered body of Hind Rajab, the six-year-old Palestinian girl, who went missing after an Israeli attack on the car she was travelling in with her family in Gaza 12 days ago, and entreated paramedics for hours on the phone to rescue her, has been finally found. 

The two medics, who were sent to search for her also lost their lives during their operation, according to Al Jazeera.

All seven passengers of the car, in which Hind was present, were confirmed dead on Saturday by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the girl's family. 

The Palestinian relief organisation also reported that they lost crew members Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun in the Israeli attack on Gaza City civilians.

In the Tal al-Hawa area of the city, family members discovered Hind's body next to those of her uncle, aunt, and their three kids, according to a report from the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Sameeh Hamadeh, one of Hind's other uncles, claimed that the car was riddled with bullets.

“The occupation deliberately targeted the ambulance upon its arrival at the scene, where it was found just metres away from the vehicle containing the trapped child Hind,” said the PRCS statement.

“Despite prior coordination to allow the ambulance to reach the location to rescue the child, Hind, the occupation deliberately targeted the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance crew,” it added.

In an audio tape released by the PRCS earlier this month, Hind was heard pleading with a rescue team member over the phone. It is believed she was the only survivor and was frightened as all of her loved ones were dead.

“I’m so scared, please come. Please call someone to come and take me,” she was heard crying desperately in the call that PRCS said lasted three hours to calm the frightened child.

Before this, the Israeli army had declared that it was unaware of the incident.

To draw attention to the predicament of Palestinian healthcare workers, who continue to face attacks from the Israeli army, the PRCS began counting the hours since it lost communication with Hind and the crew.

Shortly after the family was singled out, Hind's mother told Al Jazeera Arabic that she had managed to get through to both her and her elder cousin, 15-year-old Layan Hamadeh, who was riding in the car with Hind.

“They are shooting at us. The tank is next to us,” Layan said in a recording released at the time.

The horrific audio clips revealed Hind's plight and highlighted how impossible it is for civilians to survive Israel's four-month attack on Gaza, which several governments have referred to as a "genocide."

Motaz Azaiza, the Palestinian Journalist who survived Israel's deadly violence on Gazans, took to X (formerly Twitter) expressing immense grief and hopelessness on the death of the six-year-old girl.

In addition, many pro-Palestine activists condemned the Israeli atrocity targeting Palestinian children like Hind.

As of now, the Israeli army is targeting Rafah amid consistent hunger, displacement, and fear suffered by the Palestinians.