Justice for Hind Rajab Act

Key Points

• This bill demands accountability for the killing of 5-year-old Hind Rajab, six family members, and two paramedics by Israeli military forces in Gaza City on January 29, 2024. Forensic evidence found 335 bullet holes in the car carrying the family and determined the weapons were consistent with U.S.-provided military equipment.
• Within 45 days of enactment, the Secretary of State must submit a detailed report to Congress covering whether U.S. citizens were among the soldiers involved, whether American-made weapons were used, and whether Israeli personnel trained by the U.S. participated in the attacks.
• If credible information indicates the attacks could constitute war crimes involving U.S.-origin weapons or U.S. citizens, the Secretary of State must refer findings to the Attorney General for criminal prosecution under the War Crimes Act. The Attorney General must then initiate an investigation.
• The bill notes the U.S. has provided over $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since October 2023 and references the Leahy Law, which prohibits aid to foreign military units credibly linked to gross human rights violations. It calls on Israel to apologize and compensate the families, and says the U.S. should also compensate them if American weapons were involved.
• The bill establishes a broader U.S. policy to collect and preserve evidence of war crimes committed during the Israel-Hamas conflict for use in domestic, foreign, and international courts, and to investigate any credible allegations of war crimes committed by U.S. citizens in Gaza.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.