The Voice of Hind Rajab wins Silver Lion at Venice Film Festival
Venice: The Voice of Hind Rajab, a powerful docudrama chronicling the killing of a five-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza, has won the Silver Lion (Second Prize) at the prestigious Venice Film Festival.
Directed by acclaimed French-Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film tells the harrowing true story of Hind Rajab, who was killed alongside members of her family while attempting to flee Gaza City during Israel’s ongoing military campaign. The film came second to Father Mother Sister Brother by American indie director Jim Jarmusch.
“Cinema cannot bring Hind back, nor can it erase the atrocity committed against her. Nothing can ever restore what was taken, but cinema can preserve her voice, make it resonate across borders,” said Ben Hania during her award acceptance. “Her voice will continue to echo until accountability is real, until justice is served.”
The film incorporates real audio from Hind’s hours-long phone call with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), during which she pleaded for help while trapped inside a bullet-riddled car. Her aunt, uncle, and three cousins had already been killed by Israeli gunfire. Hind was ultimately killed before help could reach her. Two PRCS ambulance workers dispatched to rescue her were also reportedly killed.
Ben Hania described Hind's story as emblematic of “an entire people enduring genocide.”
The Voice of Hind Rajab premiered at the Venice Film Festival three days ago to a record-breaking 23-minute standing ovation. The emotional screening saw audience members break into tears, chants of “Free Palestine,” and waves of Palestinian flags inside the theater.
Speaking to AFP from Gaza City, Wissam Hamada, Hind Rajab’s mother, said she hopes the film raises global awareness: “The whole world has left us to die, to go hungry, to live in fear and to be forcibly displaced without doing anything.”
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US lawmakers seek clarity over financial burden, human cost, endgame in Iran conflict
Washington: Tensions rose at the US Capitol on Tuesday as lawmakers sought clearer answers from the Trump administration on the objectives, duration and costs of the ongoing military campaign against Iran, even as preparations advanced for votes aimed at curbing the president’s war powers.
Senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, briefed members of the House and Senate for a second consecutive day behind closed doors, as reported by the Associated Press. The sessions came ahead of votes on war powers resolutions that would limit President Donald Trump’s authority to continue joint US-Israel operations without congressional approval.
Rubio told reporters that the president acted to prevent Iran from striking first. He rejected suggestions that Washington moved only because Israel was poised to launch its own offensive, saying instead that Trump believed the weekend presented a rare opportunity to act with maximum impact. “There is no way in the world that this terroristic regime was going to get nuclear weapons, not under Donald Trump’s watch,” Rubio said.
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The conflict has widened following US and Israeli airstrikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched missile attacks targeting US military bases in the region. At least six American service personnel have died so far.
The administration has indicated that supplemental funding may be required to sustain operations. It added that the concerns among lawmakers about the financial burden and potential for a prolonged engagement has disrupted legislative business, sharpening political divisions at the start of a competitive midterm election cycle.
Associated Press cited Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s concerns about what he described as possible “mission creep.” Senator Angus King questioned whether the United States had been drawn into war at Israel’s urging, while Senator Elizabeth Warren asked how the campaign aligned with Trump’s “America First” pledge to avoid extended foreign conflicts.
Defence official Elbridge Colby told senators the president had directed the military to degrade Iran’s missile capabilities and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, stressing that the objective was not nation-building. Trump, speaking separately from the Oval Office, dismissed claims that Israel had forced his decision and suggested the conflict could continue if necessary. He has not ruled out deploying US ground troops.
Senator Richard Blumenthal was quoted by Associated Press as saying that he feared the possibility of American boots on the ground while Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin defended the operation, saying the president had acted decisively.
Uncertainty over Iran’s future leadership has added to concerns, with questions mounting about who might succeed Khamenei as Trump rejected the idea of backing Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran’s former monarchy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the future of Iran should be determined by its people and House Speaker Mike Johnson said the United States would not engage in nation-building.
Lawmakers from both parties also reported a surge in calls from constituents seeking assistance for Americans attempting to leave the region as hostilities intensify.
The US Constitution grants Congress the right to declare war, however presidents have routinely begun military activities without formal declarations. Both houses are anticipated to vote on proposals that would require explicit congressional approval to continue operations. Some members have also argued that if constraints are not imposed, Congress should consider issuing an Authorization for the Use of Military Force to put lawmakers on the record.
Associated Press quoted House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioning the rationale for the campaign and saying there would be strong support among Democrats for the resolution. Johnson, however, warned that restricting the president during active combat could pose risks.
