Voice of Hind Rajab star and director reject 'smokescreen' Israeli probe

Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees and director Kaouther Ben Hania have rejected an Israeli military investigation into the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab, calling it a “smokescreen.” The Israeli army admitted for the first time that its troops fired on the car carrying Hind and her family in Gaza on January 29, 2024, prompting criticism from both the actor and the filmmaker. Malhees, known for his role as Palestine Red Crescent Society worker Omar Alqam in the Oscar-nominated film The Voice of Hind Rajab, expressed skepticism about the investigation’s effectiveness. He told The National that the admission came more than two and a half years after Hind’s death, during which time the Israeli military had repeatedly denied involvement. “Now they are finally admitting it and launching an investigation into themselves,” he said. “The irony of a criminal investigating its own crimes is not lost on me.” Ben Hania, the Tunisian director behind the film, criticized the move as a deliberate attempt to divert attention. In a statement posted on Instagram, she noted that independent investigations, satellite imagery, and ballistic analysis had already confirmed the incident. She emphasized that Hind’s own voice, recording her desperate calls to the Red Crescent Society, was the most compelling evidence. “What more did we need?” she asked. The film The Voice of Hind Rajab uses real audio recordings of Hind’s phone conversations alongside dramatized scenes set in the operations center. It was nominated for a 2026 Academy Award. Ben Hania pointed out that the Israeli military’s decision to investigate specific cases was strategic, targeting those that drew international attention. “And what about all the others?” she questioned. “Those whose names we will never know because their deaths never broke through the wall of international indifference?” On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division would examine the deaths of Hind, six family members, and two paramedics who attempted to rescue her. The inquiry concluded that Israeli troops fired on the family’s car as it approached them while traveling contrary to an advance notice issued to residents of the area. Hind’s mother, Wissam Hamada, also voiced concerns over the nature of the investigation. In a statement on Instagram, she argued that opening an investigation does not equate to justice. “I do not want a closed military investigation,” she said. “I want an independent, transparent investigation and genuine accountability for everyone responsible.” She reiterated that Hind was not merely a news story or a case reopened due to international pressure. “Hind is my daughter,” she added. “I will continue to demand the truth and justice for her, my family, and the paramedics who tried to save her.” In the initial attack, five passengers were killed, while Hind and her 15-year-old cousin Layan Hamada survived. Layan was later killed as Hind spoke to the Red Crescent Society, with dozens of shots audible during the call. Hind answered when emergency workers called back and remained on the phone for hours, pleading for someone to rescue her. The military acknowledged that the movement of an ambulance sent to reach Hind had been coordinated. According to the allegations, a shell was fired toward the vehicle when it arrived, killing paramedics Youssef Al Zeino and another individual. The details remain under review as the investigation continues.