Death of new commander puts spotlight back on Israeli battalion linked to killing of Hind Rajab in Gaza

The Israeli military’s announcement on Friday that the commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade was killed in southern Lebanon has renewed scrutiny of the same unit linked to the killing of six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reports.

In a statement, the army said Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, 32, from Beit HaShita and commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Brigade, was killed along with three soldiers after their tank was targeted during operations in southern Lebanon.

According to The Times of Israel daily, Ben Simhon is the fourth commander of the 52nd Battalion to be killed or wounded since the start of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

The battalion has drawn international scrutiny over its role in the killing of Hind Rajab, who died in Gaza City in January 2024 after Israeli forces struck the vehicle carrying her and several relatives.

Rajab survived the initial attack and remained trapped inside the car while speaking by phone with emergency dispatchers, according to documented accounts. An ambulance sent to rescue her was subsequently hit, killing the paramedics. Her body was found 12 days later.

In May 2025, the Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court against Daniel Ela, a former commander of the 52nd Battalion, and Col. Beni Aharon, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, accusing them of war crimes over the deaths of Rajab, her family members and the ambulance crew.

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The latest death follows a series of command changes within the battalion. In April 2026, the Israeli army recalled Ela to temporary service in southern Lebanon after another battalion commander was wounded.

According to The Times of Israel, Ela himself was injured in Gaza in July 2024 while leading the battalion and was succeeded by Lt. Col. Yehuda Shalev, who suffered serious injuries in October that year. The commander who followed him in Lebanon was also wounded before Ben Simhon took over.

Israel’s Channel 14 previously reported that Ela had commanded the battalion on three separate occasions since October 2023.

An Al Jazeera investigation published in October identified Ela and Aharon among Israeli officers involved in the killing of Hind Rajab, her relatives and the medics dispatched to rescue her.

Rajab’s death became one of the most widely documented crimes of the Gaza genocide.

Israel launched its genocide in Gaza in October 2023. According to Palestinian figures, the offensive has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and wounded over 173,000 others, most of them women and children, while devastating much of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure.

Although a ceasefire has been in place since Oct. 10, 2025, Israeli attacks and restrictions have continued, leaving more than 1,000 additional Palestinians dead and over 3,100 injured since the truce took effect.

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