US Representative Rashida Tlaib has called on the US government to arrest a commander from the Israeli military unit alleged to bear responsibility for the death of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza.
In a social media post on Monday, Tlaib cited reports that Israeli soldier Sean Glass is currently in the United States, stressing that Washington has a legal obligation to investigate his role in Rajab's death.
"As a party to the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions, our government has an obligation to arrest and investigate him for these war crimes and acts of genocide," she wrote.
In the post, the US lawmaker also shared a report from the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), an organization that tracks Israeli soldiers suspected of committing war crimes in Gaza. According to the group, it has filed an urgent request with the US Department of Justice asking that Glass be arrested.
HRF said: "Sean Glass commands the 'Vampire Empire' Company, the unit accused of involvement in the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab, members of her family, and the medical workers dispatched to rescue her. HRF's investigation determined that he and his soldiers were right next to Hind's car at the time of the killing."
"Today, Glass remains free in the United States. HRF calls on US authorities to arrest him and bring him to justice," the statement said.
The death of the five-year-old on January 29, 2024 provoked global outrage and became a symbol of attacks on Palestinian civilians and children during the war in Gaza.
According to accounts made public, Rajab and her family were trying to leave Gaza City when their car came under Israeli military fire. Her family members were killed in the shooting. Rajab called emergency services, pleading with the rescue team: "I'm very scared. Please come and rescue me!"
Recordings of the girl's calls drew widespread attention in the international media. However, both Rajab and the rescue team that tried to reach her were later killed under Israeli military fire.
The car carrying Rajab was recorded as having 335 bullet holes. Israeli authorities initially blamed an exchange of fire with Palestinian gunmen. However, an investigation by the group Forensic Architecture found no evidence of a firefight and concluded that only Israeli forces were present in the area at the time of the incident.
Israel has opened investigations into the killings, but Palestinians generally view such inquiries as a way of dodging responsibility and stalling until outrage over an incident subsides.
UN experts and numerous human rights monitoring organizations have declared Israel's military campaign in Gaza a genocide. At least 74,000 Palestinians have been killed, including no fewer than 21,000 children.
The United States continues to strengthen its relationship with Israel through diplomatic, military and economic support despite evidence of frequent war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza and elsewhere. Washington has also criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC) over its efforts to seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on war crimes charges.
