A harrowing new film detailing the final hours of a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza is set for release in UK and Irish cinemas this month, with Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Joaquin Phoenix serving as executive producers.
The Tragedy That Shocked The World
The Voice Of Hind Rajab dramatises the real-life events of January 2024, when five-year-old Hind Rajab and six members of her extended family, the Hamadas, were killed while trying to flee fighting in Gaza City. The world listened in horror as recordings of Hind's desperate, real-time phone calls to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) emergency services were made public.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film blends the child's actual voice from those calls with dramatised performances. It reconstructs the resolute efforts of Red Crescent call handlers in the West Bank as they negotiated for hours with Israeli authorities, attempting to secure a safe route for a rescue ambulance.
An Unflinching Cinematic Experience
Over its 90-minute runtime, the film places the audience inside the PRCS call centre, experiencing the long, frustrating wait alongside the operators. Viewers witness the complex protocols Palestinians must navigate, even in life-or-death emergencies. The narrative builds towards an inevitable, avoidable tragedy, culminating in Hind's haunting plea: "Please don't leave me, I'm afraid of the dark."
An ambulance was finally dispatched after hours of calls. At around 6pm, paramedics reported they could see the family's car and had their emergency lights on. Communication then cut off abruptly with the sound of heavy gunfire. Both paramedics were killed. The bodies of all nine victims, including Hind, were found 12 days later beside the wreckage of the car and ambulance.
Investigation, Empathy, and Awards Buzz
Director Ben Hania told Sky News her goal was not to investigate the death—noting that Sky News and The Washington Post had already conducted investigations—but to foster empathy. "Cinema has a magical power of empathy," she said. "You experience 'otherness', you live the life of others. And I thought, we are done explaining, now let's feel."
The emotional toll was high for the cast and crew. Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees, who plays the first call handler, described having panic attacks. "Thinking about it and hearing her voice begging to be rescued, I was feeling so powerless... during one of the scenes I felt my heart is going to explode," he revealed.
The film has already generated significant acclaim, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Venice Film Festival and receiving a record 23-minute standing ovation. It is also a contender in the upcoming Academy Awards.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) initially stated it was not in the area the day Hind died. However, a Sky News investigation found that Israeli tanks were present in Tel al-Hawa, the neighbourhood of the attack, and were likely to have fired at civilians. The IDF later deleted a press release detailing its activities in that exact area over the preceding two weeks.
The Voice Of Hind Rajab opens in UK cinemas on 16 January 2026.
