Rights group urges US to arrest Israeli commander over Hind Rajab killing

WASHINGTON DC — The Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has asked the US Justice Department to arrest and prosecute Sean Glass, an Israeli military commander it says is now in the United States. The group links him to the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab in the Gaza Strip on January 29, 2024, according to a statement the group issued on Monday.

HRF said Glass commanded the "Vampire Empire" Company of the 52nd Armored Battalion, part of the 401st Armored Brigade. "HRF's investigation places him and his troops in the direct vicinity of Hind's vehicle during the killing," the foundation said in the statement. It also said that he "most likely gave the order to open fire" on the vehicle. The group accuses Glass of war crimes and genocide under US law.

"The evidence in this file is damning and it is extensive," said Natacha Bracq, HRF's head of litigation. "We are calling on the US Department of Justice to open an investigation now."

Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib supported the request in a social media post. "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," she wrote.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Anadolu Agency. Glass's own response to the allegations is not reported in the sources reviewed. Separately, a Telegram channel that carries Gaza news reported that US Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reelection bid. The channel's post has not been confirmed by a news outlet or official statement, and it is not linked to the HRF request.

The Palestine Chronicle, also on Telegram, said the dossier draws on forensic analysis, geolocated images and Glass's public statements. It also said no court has determined Glass's individual criminal responsibility. The sources do not say whether the Justice Department has opened a case.

Background

Hind was killed after the car carrying her and her relatives came under Israeli fire. She was trapped among the bodies of family members and called the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for help, according to Anadolu Agency. Two PRCS paramedics sent to rescue her, Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, were also killed. Their bodies, along with Hind's, were found 12 days later.

The London-based research group Forensic Architecture found that 335 bullets were fired at the car and that there was no evidence of an exchange of fire, according to Anadolu Agency. The sources reviewed do not give a date for that finding.