[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 46 (Thursday, March 12, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S1049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WELCH (for himself and Mr. Van Hollen):
  S. 4095. A bill to call for accountability for the killing of 
innocent civilians, including 5-year-old Hind Rajab and two paramedics, 
in an attack in Gaza City on January 29, 2024, by Israel Defense 
Forces, to require the Secretary of State to report to Congress on the 
attack, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. WELCH. Mr. President, I would like to speak briefly, if I may, on 
another subject.
  During the war in Gaza, more than 20,000 children have been killed so 
far. There have been thousands of atrocities in Gaza. Over 70,000 have 
died, and even more have been gravely injured.
  The Israelis' own data shows that the overwhelming majority of the 
people killed by Israeli forces have been civilians, and it is, 
regrettably, the highest proportion of civilians to combatants killed 
in any contemporary conflict.
  Today, I want to speak about one such case, the killing of Hind 
Rajab. Hind was the beautiful 5-year-old child whose photograph you see 
here next to me. ``Hind,'' by the way means ``hope.''
  Hind's death is the subject of a film that has been nominated for an 
Academy Award on Sunday. The film follows the killing of Hind, the 
killing of her four cousins, her aunt, her uncle, and two paramedics 
who were sent to rescue her. It does feature a recording of Hind's 
voice pleading for help that never arrives.
  It is a virtual certainty that the weapons and ammunition provided by 
American taxpayer dollars were used in this crime. We know this based 
on forensic investigation of her family's car, where 335 bullet holes 
were counted.
  Despite requests from the Biden State Department, Israel has produced 
no evidence that it has held anyone accountable for this atrocity. That 
is why today I am introducing the Justice for Hind Rajab Act, along 
with my colleague in the House of Representatives, Representative Sara 
Jacobs of California.
  Our bill raises a simple question. Something must be done about this 
crime. The U.S. Government must--must--do its part to hold those 
responsible accountable as some small measure of justice for the 
thousands of children who have been killed in this war and that 
continues to this day.

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