Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0509

Incident date

October 23, 2023

Location

منزل لعائلة "الأستاذ" في حي الشيخ رضوان بمدينة غزة, ‘Al-Ustad’ family home, Sheikh Radwan Neighbourhood, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Gaza, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

At dawn on Monday, 23 October 2023, at least 15 identified members of the Sukkar family, including two women and eight children, were killed and others injured in an alleged Israeli bombing on the home of the Al-Ustad family in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood of Gaza City.

The patriarch of the family, 72-year-old Riyad Sukkar was killed along with his two sons, Ismail Sukkar and 50-year-old Salem Sukkar.

Salem Sukkar’s wife, 45-year-old Sanaa Issa Hassan Khalifa Sukkar, and five of their children also reportedly died in the attack. Their three sons, 23-year-old Riyad Salem Sukkar, 20-year-old Muhammad Salem Sukkar and 17-year-old Ahmed Salem Sukkar were reportedly killed, as were two of their daughters, 15-year-old Zahida Salem Sukkar and 8-year-old Shahd Salem Sukkar.

Riyad’s wife Souad Hossam Muharram was also killed, along with the couple’s infant daughter, Sousso Sukkar.

Ismail Sukkar’s wife, 28-year-old Rana Kamal Mohamed Abusalmiya Matar was also killed in the alleged Israeli airstrike, along with their two sons, 7-year-old Bilal Sukkar and Bahaa Sukkar and their daughter, Bilsan Sukkar.

Relatives and friends mourned those lost on social media and attached pictures of the aftermath. A photo shared by Hossam Muharram, the father of Souad, shows him grieving over Souad’s body, wrapped in a body bag tagged with her name. He also shared images of Riyad, and a final photograph of a sleeping Sousso.

Hossam again posted on January 21, 2024, three months “since [his] separation [from] the most precious human beings.” On March 3rd, Hossam shared a video of a laughing Sousso, calling her the “sweetheart of her grandpa.”

One Facebook post from Atef Sukkar, the nephew of Riyad Sukkar, reported that the family was permanently erased from the civil registry as a result of the bombing.

Safa News Agency, along with multiple other sources, reported that the Ministry of Interior had confirmed injuries as a result of the alleged Israeli attack. No further details were given.

Where possible, Airwars has matched names with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of nearly 7000 victims’ names and ID numbers released on October 26th.

One name was partially reconciled but cannot be considered definitive. Souad Hossam Muharram may be 16-year-old Suad Husam Rushad Mahram. This match is considered partial due to Souad’s status as a mother, which may not cohere with the age of the woman listed in the Ministry of Health list.

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

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (15)

Riyad Salem Deeb Sukkar رياض سكر
72 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 910897057
Ismail Sukkar اسماعيل سكر
Adult male killed
Salem Sukkar سالم سكر
50 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 920616752
Sanaa Issa Hassan Khalifa Sukkar سناء عيسى حسن خليفه سكر
45 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 901451765
Riyad Salem Sukkar رياض سالم سكر
23 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 405999459
Souad Hossam Muharram , سعاد حسام محرم
16 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 424394757
Sousso Sukkar, سوسو سكر
Child female killed
Muhammad Salem Sukkar محمد سالم سكر
20 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 409310455
Ahmed Salem Sukkar احمد سالم سكر
17 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 422786061
Zahida Salem Sukkar زاهدة سالم سكر
15 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 425845294
Shahd Salem Sukkar شهد سالم سكر
8 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 436061790
Rana Kamal Mohamed Abu salmiya Matar رنا كمال محمد ابوسلمية مطرا
28 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 400821583
Bilal Sukkar بلال سكر
7 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 435919840
Bahaa Sukkar بهاء سكر
Child male killed
Bilsan Sukkar, بيلسان سكر
Child female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • (8 children2 women5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military

Sources (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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
    15
  • (8 children2 women5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military

Sources (27) [ collapse]