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 currently in the United States, according to a statement issued on Monday, 20 October 2026.

The group said Glass commanded the "Vampire Empire" Company of the 52nd Armored Battalion, part of the 401st Armored Brigade, during the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab in the Gaza Strip in January 2024. HRF said its investigation placed Glass and his troops "in the direct vicinity of Hind's vehicle during the killing." It alleged that he "most likely gave the order to open fire" on the vehicle. The group accuses him 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." The statement also said that "Glass walks free in the United States."

Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib supported the request in a social media post. She wrote that the United States, as a party to the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions, is obligated to arrest and investigate him. The post was shared on social media and was not a formal government action.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Anadolu Agency. No court has ruled on Glass's individual criminal responsibility. The allegations are the claims of HRF and have not been independently tested in a US court.

A Telegram post by the Palestine Chronicle channel said the dossier draws on forensic analysis, geolocated images and Glass's public statements. This account comes from a social media channel and has not been confirmed by a news outlet or official source.

Separately, a Telegram post by the Quds News Network channel reported that US Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reelection bid, while President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday. The channel's report is unverified, and the remarks were not linked to the Hind Rajab case in the sources.

Background

Hind Rajab was killed on 29 January 2024, after the car carrying her and her relatives came under Israeli fire. Trapped among the bodies of family members, she pleaded for help in a call to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS).

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, according to the Anadolu report.

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 the same report. The sources do not give a date for that finding.