A six-year-old girl who was recorded begging rescuers to save her after an attack in Gaza has been found dead with five of her relatives and two ambulance workers who went to save her, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said.
Hind Rajab took the phone from her teenage cousin, Layan Hamadeh, after she was killed in a strike on the Tel al Hawa suburb of Gaza City earlier this month, the PRCS said.
Believed to be the only survivor, audio was released of Hind pleading with rescuers saying: “Come and get me… I’m so scared, please come.”
Rafah bracing for bloodbath; follow Middle East latest
According to the PRCS, Hind, her three cousins, uncle, and aunt, were in their car at a roundabout when the attack left them trapped.
Hind’s cousin Layan had been on the phone for help when she screamed and told call handlers an Israeli tank was approaching.
The schoolgirl is thought to have taken the phone from her and told the PRCS she was the only one left alive.
Call handlers stayed on the line to her for three hours as they tried to soothe her.
Burnt out ambulance. Pic: Palestinian Red Crescent Society
Aid workers from the organisation said they then managed to negotiate with the Israeli military and get the green light to send an ambulance with two crew to the scene.
The paramedics, Youssef Zeino and Ahmed Madhoon, were later reported missing and found dead alongside Hind’s family near their burnt out ambulance.
Israel says it aims to avoid civilian targets in its operation in Gaza. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) told Sky News it was looking into the incident.
Meanwhile the audio of Hind has rallied Palestinians and their supporters on social media.
The area was deemed unsafe for the 12 days following, the PRCS said, adding rescuers have now recovered the bodies from the scene.
Tel al Hawa, Gaza City. File pic: AP
In a statement, the PRCS said: “The occupation deliberately targeted the Red Crescent crew despite prior coordination to allow the ambulance to arrive at the site to rescue Hind.”
A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross added in a statement: “While we continue to look into exactly what happened, we want to reiterate that civilians must be protected – no child should ever be terrified for their life, surrounded by the bodies of their family members.
“That these were potentially Hind’s last moments is devastating and unbearable.”