US Democrats push ‘Hind Rajab Act’ as film on Gaza child’s death gains Oscars boost

Democratic lawmakers in the United States have introduced legislation seeking a full accounting of what the government knows about the killing of Palestinian child Hind Rajab in Gaza, as renewed global attention on her case grows amid awards-season buzz for a film based on her death.

According to Middle East Eye, the proposed Justice for Hind Rajab Act would require the US administration to disclose details of any investigation into the circumstances surrounding the six-year-old’s killing, including whether American citizens were involved.

The Bill was introduced in the Senate by Peter Welch and in the House of Representatives by Pramila Jayapal and Sara Jacobs. If enacted, it would require the US secretaries of state and defence to submit a report to Congress within 45 days addressing whether the incident violated US laws governing military assistance to foreign forces.

Those include the Foreign Assistance Act and the Leahy Law, which bars the United States from providing weapons or military support to foreign military units implicated in human rights abuses. The legislation also seeks to identify the Israeli soldiers involved in the incident and determine whether any hold US citizenship, Middle East Eye reported.

Lawmakers are also demanding disclosure of any investigations undertaken by the US Department of Justice and all available information held by the US government about the killing.

Rajab’s death in Gaza on 29 January 2024 drew international attention after details emerged of the circumstances in which she was killed. The six-year-old was travelling with relatives as they attempted to flee northern Gaza when their vehicle came under Israeli fire, according to a later investigation.

Forensic findings released in June 2024 concluded that the car carrying Rajab and her family was hit by 335 bullets fired by Israeli forces. Five relatives were killed immediately, leaving the child trapped for hours in the vehicle among the bodies of her family members.

During that time, she contacted the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and pleaded for help. Two paramedics who were dispatched to rescue her were also killed before reaching the scene.

A recording of the child’s final call — in which she repeatedly asked rescuers to come and save her — circulated widely and became one of the most haunting symbols of the civilian toll of the war in Gaza.

The proposed legislation highlights the scale of US military support for Israel during the conflict. According to the Bill’s text, Washington has provided more than $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel since October 2023, funding a large share of the Israel Defense Forces’ operations in Gaza.

It also cites Israeli government estimates suggesting that roughly 10,000 Americans were mobilised in support of Israel’s war effort, while health authorities in Gaza say more than 20,000 children have been killed in the enclave since the start of the war.

As Middle East Eye noted, the Bill faces significant hurdles in a Congress where Republicans hold majorities, meaning it must clear committee stages and floor votes in both chambers before becoming law.

Critics of US policy toward Israel have long argued that Washington has relied heavily on Israeli investigations into alleged abuses rather than conducting independent inquiries. During the Biden administration, officials frequently directed journalists seeking information about incidents such as Rajab’s killing to the Israeli government.

Advocacy group A New Policy — founded by former US officials who resigned over Washington’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza — said the proposed legislation highlights the need for independent scrutiny. “It’s obvious Israel cannot be trusted to investigate itself,” the group wrote on social media, arguing that international institutions such as the International Criminal Court should also pursue accountability.

The introduction of the Bill coincides with renewed attention to Rajab’s story following the success of a film based on her final hours. Middle East Eye reported that lawmakers Jayapal and Welch hosted a screening of the documentary-style film The Voice of Hind Rajab on Capitol Hill last month.

The docu-fiction film reconstructs the events of the child’s final hours from the perspective of a Palestinian Red Crescent call centre, portraying aid workers’ attempts to coordinate a rescue while she remained trapped in the car.

The film has gained strong recognition on the festival circuit and is widely tipped to win the international film category at the upcoming Academy Awards, placing Rajab’s story back in the global spotlight.