“What’s Hidden Is Greater”: The Names and Faces of Hind Rajab’s Killers Exposed
A groundbreaking investigation traces the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab and unveils an expanding international legal hunt for Israeli soldiers and officers involved in genocide across Gaza.
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Launched from the heart of Brussels, where the image of the slain Palestinian child Hind Rajab has become an enduring symbol of innocence betrayed, the investigative documentary “What’s Hidden Is Greater” has set off a historic chain of revelations linking Israeli war crimes in Gaza to emerging international legal action.
The investigation, produced by journalist Tamer Al-Mashaal for Al Jazeera, meticulously retraces the events surrounding the killing of Hind Rajab and her family in Tel al-Hawa, Gaza, at the end of January 2024 — a case that has horrified global audiences and galvanized human rights advocates worldwide.
The Last Call of a Child
In haunting audio recordings, six-year-old Hind Rajab is heard whispering over the phone, “The tank is next to me,” moments before her voice fell silent forever. She had been hiding beside her mother’s lifeless body inside a family car destroyed by Israeli tank fire.
The investigative team reconstructed the scene using satellite imagery, audio evidence, witness testimonies, and forensic mapping, in collaboration with the Forensic Architecture Lab at Goldsmiths, University of London.
The results were chilling: the family’s vehicle was struck by 335 rounds of tank fire from a distance of just 23 meters, proving that the attack came from a single Israeli tank deliberately targeting the civilians — not a crossfire as claimed by the occupation.
The “Vampire Empire” Company: Naming the Killers
The investigation identified the perpetrators: the 401st Armored Brigade of the Israeli army, commanded at the time by Benny Aharon. Within that brigade, the 52nd Battalion, under Colonel Daniel Ella, was found directly responsible for the massacre.
Even more shocking was the discovery of the specific company involved, operating under the grotesque name “Vampire Empire.”
The company was commanded by Officer Sean Glass, who bragged in internal clips about leading his men “without waiting for orders” and described them as “beasts that never retreat.” Evidence shows that Glass ordered the direct shelling of the civilian vehicle, then targeted the ambulance that tried to reach Hind.
These findings were incorporated into a comprehensive legal file submitted by the Hind Rajab Foundation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
Legal Pursuit of Israeli Officers
Diab Abu Jahjah, executive director of the Hind Rajab Foundation, confirmed that legal teams are pursuing Sean Glass, Colonel Daniel Ella, and an Israeli-Argentine soldier named Itai Shukerkov, who was inside the tank during the killing.
Formal legal complaints have already been filed, including in Argentina, where proceedings have begun under universal jurisdiction.
Systematic Destruction Beyond the Killing
The investigation also exposed a pattern of systematic destruction carried out by the Israeli army’s engineering corps during the Gaza war.
Among the most damning cases is that of soldier Shimon Zuckerman, who personally documented the bombing of dozens of homes in Khuza’a, east of Khan Younis, between December 2023 and January 2024.
Zuckerman’s social media posts, once intended to boast of his “achievements,” have now become legal evidence. German prosecutors have filed charges against him on grounds of genocide and crimes against humanity, invoking his dual citizenship as the basis for jurisdiction.
German attorney Melanie Schweitzer, handling the case, described Zuckerman as “a model example of a soldier turned genocidaire,” noting that videos show him celebrating the destruction of civilian homes “as if acting in an action movie.”
International Legal Precedent Expands
The investigation further uncovered the cases of Adi Karni, an Israeli engineer corps member filmed planting explosives in Gaza’s civilian buildings and detonating them with a cold smile.
Legal cases have been filed against him in Brazil and later Peru, where authorities opened official investigations — marking an unprecedented international legal precedent against an Israeli soldier.
Political pressure from Tel Aviv reportedly forced Karni to flee Brazil before his arrest, revealing Israel’s use of organized smuggling networks to exfiltrate wanted soldiers from foreign territories via private jets and military bases.
Another soldier, Yuval Fagdani of the Givati Brigade, was photographed among the ruins of Gaza before fleeing from Brazil to Argentina.
Toward International Justice
Judge Donald Peter Herbert, a veteran of the Rwandan tribunal, stated that this investigation represents “a true test for global justice.”
He noted that while geopolitical pressure continues to obstruct accountability, the opening of such cases marks the beginning of the end of Israel’s culture of impunity.
He emphasized that international coordination and Interpol warrants could soon restrict the movement of Israeli soldiers and officers implicated in war crimes, ushering in a new era of international accountability.
Israeli Panic and Silencing of Witnesses
Inside Israel, security analyst Yossi Melman admitted that the international legal pursuit has become a “nightmare for the military establishment,” with Shin Bet and Mossad now factoring this risk into foreign travel planning for Israeli personnel.
He confirmed that Israel is working “to prevent or obstruct the issuance of arrest warrants by all diplomatic and legal means.”
Meanwhile, the investigation revealed attempts to intimidate and eliminate witnesses who cooperated with the “What’s Hidden Is Greater” team. Karim Hassoun, co-founder of the Hind Rajab Foundation, confirmed that several witnesses in related cases were later killed in Gaza after their names were exposed — a chilling reminder that truth itself has become a target.
The Road to The Hague
The investigation concludes behind the walls of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where files continue to mount and the list of accused Israeli officers grows daily. Over 1,000 cases have already been submitted, with several advancing to European and American courts.
The story of Hind Rajab — a six-year-old girl murdered in her car — has now ignited a global legal battle for justice, transforming her name into a symbol of resistance, innocence, and the pursuit of truth. (PW)