Rashida Tlaib demands arrest of Israeli soldier linked to Hind Rajab death
U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib has urged the American government to detain the commander of an Israeli military unit that she says was responsible for the death of five‑year‑old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza. In a post on social media on Monday, Tlaib highlighted reports that Israeli soldier Sean Glass was currently in the United States and argued that the U.S. has a legal duty to investigate his role in the killing.
“As a party to the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions, our government is obligated to arrest and investigate him for these war crimes and acts of genocide,” Tlaib wrote.
The representative attached a report from the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), an organization that monitors Israeli soldiers accused of war crimes in Gaza. HRF said it has filed an emergency request with the U.S. Department of Justice to arrest Glass. In a statement the group said: “Sean Glass commanded the ‘Vampire Empire’ Company implicated in the killing of five‑year‑old Hind Rajab, members of her family, and the medics sent to rescue them. HRF’s investigation places him and his troops in the direct vicinity of Hind’s vehicle during the killing.” The foundation added that Glass is “walking free in the United States” and called on U.S. authorities to take him into custody and bring him to justice.
The killing on Jan. 29, 2024, sparked worldwide outrage and became a symbol of Israel’s targeting of Palestinian civilians, especially children, during its war in Gaza. Rajab, her family and several others were trying to leave Gaza City when their vehicle came under Israeli fire. The family was killed, and Rajab managed to call emergency services, pleading, “I’m so scared. Please come!” Recordings of her call circulated internationally. Both she and the rescue team that responded were later killed by Israeli forces. The car was later found with 335 bullet holes; Israeli officials initially blamed a firefight with Palestinian fighters.
An investigation by Forensic Architecture found no evidence of any exchange of fire and concluded that only Israeli forces were present at the scene. Israel has opened its own probe into the incident, but Palestinians view such inquiries as attempts to delay accountability while public outrage subsides.
United Nations experts and other human‑rights monitors have described Israel’s campaign in Gaza as genocide. According to recent counts, at least 74,000 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 21,000 children. Despite mounting evidence of repeated war crimes by Israeli forces, the United States continues to provide diplomatic, military and economic support to Israel. The U.S. has also criticized the International Criminal Court for seeking arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant on war‑crimes charges.