Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0719

Incident date

October 29, 2023

Location

منزل لعائلة طموس في شارع المجادلة غرب مدينة خانيونس, a house for the Tammos family on al-Majadala Street, west of the city of Khan Yunis, Gaza strip, Khan Younis, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

At dawn on Sunday, October 29th, 2023, at least 11 identified civilians, including two women and six children, were reportedly killed and multiple civilians were reportedly injured as a result of an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Tammos family residence on al-Majadala Street, west of the city of Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip. Most of those killed were members of the Tammos family.

72-year-old Khalil Mustafa Muhammad Tammos was killed with his 70-year-old wife, Fayza Abdel Qader Fares, and their 46-year-old son, Wael Khalil Tammos. Wael Khalil Tammos’s three sons, 18-year-old Khalil Wael Tammos, 14-year-old Muhammad Wael Tammos, and 12-year-old Hamza Wael Tammos were also reported dead. Wael’s daughter, Zeina Wael Tammos, was reported to be injured.

Friends took to social media to share their condolences. 72-year-old Khalil was fondly remembered by Facebook user Zahra Abunamoos as a “Hajj,” indicating that he may have completed the pilgrimage to Mecca. Another user, Dr. Muhammad al-Zinati Abu Ahmed remembered his last moments with Khalil, describing him as a “good man”: “Yesterday, before sunset, we were chatting, and I did not know that these were your last moments in this life.” The bombardment occurred, Dr. Muhammad alleged, at the “dawn call to prayer.” He shared multiple family photographs and wished “healing” for those injured.

Hamza M. Fares, the brother of the injured Enas, mentioned that his nephews, Khalil, Muhammad, and Hamza were all “memorizer[s] of the Book of God.” He asked that his sister be granted “recovery and patience.” Hamada Jaber Abu Youssef also remembered the children’s dedication to their religion: “Last summer, they were competing over who could memorize the Qur’an the fastest and who would not miss the dawn prayer.

Hamza, committed to being the first and playing tricks on his siblings would “set the alarm for half an hour before dawn, and when he woke up, he would turn off [his siblings’] alarms, Muhammad and Khalil, so that he would go and pray alone and miss his [brothers’] day of memorization and dawn prayer.

Facebook user Tareq Zaqout wrote his aunt Fayza was “the professor,” and remembered her “beloved” son Wael.

An injured Mustafa Khalil Tammos lost his wife and children in the bombardment. His 29-year-old wife, Samar Manar Abdel Qader Hegazy, was killed along with their two sons: nine-year-old Khalil Mustafa Khalil Tammos, and one-year-old Mohammed Mustafa Khalil Tammos, and two daughters: eight-year-old Jana Mustafa Khalil Tammos and five-year-old  Siwar Mustafa Khalil Tammos.

Enas Muhammad Hussein Fares was also reported injured.

Twitter/X user @Smoaltae reported that there were “more than 20 injuries.” Al Jazeera Mubasher reported that “dozens” had been injured. No other identification has been made public.

Multiple images shared across social media documented the devastation wrought by the bombardment. Shehab Agency attached photos of volunteers searching through the rubble, including one where a young boy–covered in blood and dust–was being rescued. A video shared by the Palestinian Civil Defence corroborated this, showing the process of uncovering the boy from beneath concrete.

Another image shared by the Shehab Agency shows another young boy receiving medical care. His nose is bloodied, and he is lying on a blood-stained stretcher.

The family home was reportedly “levelled to the ground.”

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

Where possible, names have been reconciled with published Palestinian Ministry of Health lists with thanks to journalist Alexandre Horn from CheckNews for identifying relevant sources, and Data Tech for Palestine for centralising the datasets.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (14)

Khalil Mustafa Muhammad Tammos خليل طموس
72 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 960575447
Fayza Abdel Qader Fares فايزة عبد القادر فارس
70 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 960865848
Wael Khalil Tammos وائل خليل طموس
46 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 900669102
Khalil Wael Tammos خليل وائل طموس
18 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 424224509
Muhammad Wael Tammos محمد وائل طموس
14 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID , 429337892
Hamza Wael Tammos حمزة وائل طموس
12 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 432329001
Zeina Wael Tammos زينة وائل طموس
Child female injured
Mustafa Khalil Tammos مصطفى خليل طموس
Adult male injured
Samar Manar Abdel Qader Tammos سمر منار حجازي
29 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 400754446
Khalil Mustafa Khalil Tammos خليل مصطفى خليل طموس
9 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 435824065
Jana Mustafa Khalil Tammos جنى مصطفى خليل طموس
8 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 437397797
Siwar Mustafa Khalil Tammos سوار مصطفى خليل طموس
5 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 438080095
Mohammed Mustafa Khalil Tammos محمد مصطفى خليل طموس
1 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 444353528
Enas Muhammad Hussein Fares ايناس محمد حسين فارس
male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (6 children2 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (34) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

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

    Source: Pier 24
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    Source: Pier 24
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    Source: Pier 24
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    Source: Pier 24
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Pier 24
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    Source: Pier 24
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Pier 24
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestine Today News Agency
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    Source: Palestine Today News Agency
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    Source: Palestine Today News Agency
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestine Today News Agency
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Dr.. Muhammad Al-Zinati Abu Ahmed
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Dr.. Muhammad Al-Zinati Abu Ahmed
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Dr.. Muhammad Al-Zinati Abu Ahmed
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Dr.. Muhammad Al-Zinati Abu Ahmed
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

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

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

    Source: Hamada Jaber Abu Youssef
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Hamada Jaber Abu Youssef
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Hamada Jaber Abu Youssef
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Hamada Jaber Abu Youssef
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu Khamis Abu Hassan
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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
    11
  • (6 children2 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]