'The Voice of Hind Rajab' director calls Israeli investigation into girl's killing a 'smokescreen'

The director of The Voice of Hind Rajab has criticised an Israeli military investigation into the killing of six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, calling it a “smokescreen” and saying that what is needed instead is justice.

Speaking to Variety, Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania responded to the latest developments surrounding the investigation into Rajab's death, which became the inspiration for her acclaimed film. Ben Hania said the focus should remain on establishing accountability for what happened to the young girl rather than allowing an investigation to obscure the wider circumstances of her death.

The Voice of Hind Rajab tells the story of Rajab, who was trapped inside a car in Gaza in January 2024 after members of her family were killed. The film recreates the events through the emergency phone call in which Hind pleaded with the Palestine Red Crescent Society for help as she remained trapped.

The real-life case attracted international attention after recordings of Hind's call and the Red Crescent's attempts to reach her became public. Hind was eventually found dead alongside several members of her family, while two paramedics who had been sent to rescue her were also killed.

Ben Hania's film uses the actual audio from Hind's final phone call, placing audiences alongside the emergency workers trying to locate her. Rather than recreating the events through conventional scenes of violence, the film largely builds its narrative around the voices and recordings connected to the rescue attempt.

The director has previously said that making the film was an attempt to ensure Hind's story was not forgotten. Its release also brought renewed international attention to the circumstances surrounding her death and the evidence gathered from the scene.

The latest Israeli investigation has therefore become another point of contention over how responsibility for the deaths should be established. Ben Hania rejects the idea that the investigation should be treated as an adequate conclusion to the case, describing it instead as a “smokescreen” and arguing that the priority should be justice.

The controversy comes as The Voice of Hind Rajab continues to receive attention on the international film circuit. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2025, became one of the most prominent recent films to address the war in Gaza and the experiences of Palestinian civilians.

For Ben Hania, however, the film's significance goes beyond awards or international recognition. At its centre remains the story of a child whose final hours were documented through a desperate call for help, and the director continues to argue that the circumstances surrounding Hind's death require accountability rather than being allowed to fade from public attention.