Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0385

Incident date

October 19, 2023

Location

منزل جميلة الشنطي في القطاع, Home of Jamila Al-Shanti, the Gaza Strip, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

At dawn on Thursday, October 19th 2023, multiple sources reported the death of Dr. Jamila Abdullah Taha Al-Shanti, a 66-year-old (according to some sources, 68-year-old) member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, as a result of an alleged Israeli airstrike on her home in the Gaza Strip. The exact location of the strike is unknown.

Osama Fawzi reported in a post on Facebook that Dr. Al-Shanti’s family were also killed in the alleged strike, but did not provide additional details.

Many posts on Facebook and X/Twitter mourned her death, with many referring to her as “mother” or “teacher”. Soad Basem wrote a personal testimony, calling her “my role model, my teacher, our beautiful martyr.” Badeea Burijiye wrote about Dr. Al-Shanti:  “Beautiful in character, virtuous in deeds, may God bless her, her soul was adorned with virtues”

In dozens of images shared by social media users, she appeared dressed in black, giving speeches and interviews and posing for official photos.

Dr. Al-Shanti, also known as Um Abdullah, was an important figure in Gaza as the first woman to be in the Political Bureau of Hamas and to sit on the Legislative Council after being elected in 2006. She was also significant due to her status as the widow of Abdel Aziz Al-Rantisi, a founding member of the Hamas movement who was killed by Israeli forces in 2004. According to Osama Bouchanane, the late Jamila was also a supervisor of Qur’an centers.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health released a statement announcing her death and giving condolences to Dr. Taha Abdullah Al-Shanti, Director of the Special Medicine Unit, and the brother of the Dr. Jamillah Abdullah Taha Al-Shanti.

The name of the Dr. Jamila Al-Shanti has been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to Israeli forces.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Jamila Abdullah Taha Al-Shanti جميلة عبدالله طه الشنطي
66 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 926960147

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Education
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (19) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Albaka
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @WWIIIAR
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Citizen's platform
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Sajoud mohammad al shanti
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Sajoud mohammad al shanti
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Soad Basem
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Osama Bouchanane
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Raba’ Sanaa’
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Wafaa alzeti
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Aya almaqadma
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Badeea burijiye
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Naheel Sai’d
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Special Medicine Unit - Palestinian Ministry of Health, Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Anbaa Hana Takreet Agency
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mohammed al obaidi
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Taghreed Abdallah abu halabiyye
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Wafaa Der
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Fatme Alzahra’ kaleeth
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Suhaila daawa sahlawi

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Education
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]