ISPT0575 – October 23, 2023

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

During the night of Monday, October 23rd, 2023 or the early morning of Tuesday, October 24th, at least seven people were killed and dozens were injured in an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Abu Hussein family home next to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. According to multiple sources, eight people were missing after the strike. The names of the casualties and missing are currently unknown. Airwars has not yet included the eight missing individuals in our casualty range, but will update this incident should further information come to light.

At 9:15 am on October 24th, the Palestinian Press Agency (Safa PS) reported “7 martyrs and dozens of injuries, 8 missing as a result of the Israeli bombing of the Abu Hussein family next to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.” This was also reported by Palinfo and Quds News. Other sources, including Al Shariq Palestine, Palestine Post, and Euronews Arabic specified that this was an airstrike.

A video posted on Facebook by Palestine Post shows drone footage of the Abu Hussein family home after it was destroyed. Multiple building levels collapsed, with concrete, rebar, and personal belongings strewn all over the site. A series of photographs shared by al-Shariq Palestine shows a crowd of people searching through the pile of rubble. In one of the images, two men appear to be carrying a body wrapped in a carpet away from the ruins.

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

Key Information

Country

Palestinian territories

Military Actor

Israeli Military

Strike Type

Airstrike

Strike Status

Likely strike

Civilian Harm Reported

Yes

Civilian Harm Status

Fair

Causes of Death / Injury

Heavy weapons and explosive munitions

Civilians reported killed

Civilians reported injured

12–24

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in the vicinity of Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital (مستشفى شهداء الاقصى) within Deir Al Balah (دير البلح). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed down the exact location of the strike to these coordinates: 31.416474, 34.356228.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Exact Location","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"coordinates":[34.356218,31.416499],"type":"Point"}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"A","label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"coordinates":[[[34.355941605591255,31.41676335613907],[34.3560754099785,31.41665435802028],[34.35618245348738,31.416761279985366],[34.35603770146909,31.416858859148533],[34.355941605591255,31.41676335613907]]],"type":"Polygon"}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"B","label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"coordinates":[[[34.356325989100895,31.416528750507027],[34.35641113734613,31.416605568345005],[34.35625787050475,31.416711452288624],[34.35618002067929,31.416642939161875],[34.356325989100895,31.416528750507027]]],"type":"Polygon"}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"C","label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"coordinates":[[[34.35652669419255,31.41672806138699],[34.356413568665715,31.416611796678737],[34.35655832068406,31.416500722224313],[34.35669577427964,31.416631520165794],[34.35652669419255,31.41672806138699]]],"type":"Polygon"}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"D","label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"coordinates":[[[34.3564123507179,31.41659726348891],[34.35602918361158,31.41623497337291],[34.356471954489535,31.41597441428695],[34.356814980279864,31.416315943778088],[34.3564123507179,31.41659726348891]]],"type":"Polygon"}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"E","label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"coordinates":[[[34.35676145852469,31.416183069230087],[34.35667022826155,31.41609171786922],[34.356823495104436,31.415984795140943],[34.35691959098071,31.416086527448613],[34.35676145852469,31.416183069230087]]],"type":"Polygon"}}]}