Geolocation
Airwars assessment
In the early afternoon of Thursday, October 17, 2024, alleged Israeli forces (either through artillery strikes or tank fire) hit the Abu Hussein Elementary School for Boys affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) located in the Jabalia Refugee Camp, North Gaza, reportedly killing at least 18 civilians, including at least ten children and five women, and injuring 150 other civilians. Multiple sources emphasized that most of the victims were women and children.
The school served as a shelter for thousands of displaced people, and the attack reportedly hit the school it at the time of the food distribution. Most sources reported “dozens” or “large numbers” of killed and wounded, with some describing the incident as a massacre.
Al-Jazeera Arabic initially reported 15 victims but later raised the toll to 25, while other sources, such as Muhammad Yassin al-Mar’ai, cited 22 deaths, and some accounts, such as Ihcen Bks Facebook post, placed the number as high as 35. Injuries were extensive, and a Facebook source Mohammed Jamal Alshayah raised the toll to 150, with many in critical condition. According to the post by the al-Dameer Association, at least ten children and five women were among the casualties.
Social media sources helped Airwars to identify the names of 18 civilians killed in the attack and of one civilian injured. Ten of the 18 identified victims come from four families. In the aftermath of the incident, friends and family used social media to express their grief and to honour the memories of their loved ones, sharing photos as a tribute to their lives.
The child Salah Youssef Hamed al-Arini was killed alongside his brother, also a child Muhammad Youssef Hamed al-Arini, and their uncles, Osama Ahmed Misbah al-Arini and Hafez Essam Khalil Abu Seif.
Al-Areni Mahmoud bids a farewell to three beloved family members: his two younger brothers, Muhammad Yousef al-Arini and Salah Yousef al-Arini, along with their uncle, Osama Ahmed al-Arini. Osama, a childhood friend and neighbour of Mostafa al-Sweiti, was remembered not only as family but as a figure of dedication. Mazen Nur offered condolences to Osama’s cousin Dr. Abu Khaled al-Arini, his wife Umm Abdul Rahman, his mother Umm Alaa, and all their loved ones, saying: “We mourn a man who dedicated his life for al-Aqsa, and sacrificed his soul for the sake of God on the path to liberating it.”
In another tribute, Khalil Abu Seif mourned the loss of another cherished family member, his brother Hafez Essam Khalil Abu Seif (Abu Abdullah), and his nephews, writing: “You will remain in our hearts and before our eyes as long as we live.”
Abo Al Baraa Zakaria mourned the death of Hafez and two small children of his sister, sharing graphic images of Salah’s and Muhammad’s bodies wrapped in white shrouds. He also posted images from before their death, a smiling older brother dressed in a three-piece suit hugging his infant brother.
Ibrahim Nahed Muhammad Morsi was killed alongside Abdullah Muhammad Nafez Morsi.
Bilal Mahmoud Ahmed al-Khatib (Abu Musab) lost his life alongside his brother Youssef Kamal Mahmoud al-Khatib.
Mahmoud al-Khatieb Abu Jamal mourned the loss of his cousins Bilal Mahmoud Ahmed al-Khatib and Youssef Kamal Mahmoud al-Khatib. Abu Ahmed Abdallah and Alaa Umm Moath did as well. Alaa om Moath wrote just a couple of days before the strike that their relatives Muhammad Jamal Al-Khatib and Musa Mahmoud Al-Khatib had been also killed.
An elderly man Omar Hussein Abdel Ghani Abu al-Jabin was killed alongside his wife, Rafqa Abdel Aziz Muhammad Abu al-Jabin.
Mahmoud Abu al-Jabin confirmed the death of his sister Rafqa Abdul Aziz Abu al-Jabin and her husband Omar Hussein Abu al-Jabin: “We ask God Almighty to accept them in His mercy among the righteous and to make their graves a garden from the gardens of Paradise and to inhabit them in His spacious gardens and to grant us patience, solace, and steadfastness.” He also posted a picture of the older couple while doing their pilgrimage to Mecca. In addition, Abdel al-Jubain and Heno Heno mourned the loss of his beloved uncle and kind and caring aunt. The same did Hesham Abu al-Jabin, Omar’s cousin.
The death of a young man Muhammad Nahed Ibrahim Jarad was mourned in the posts by Al Mostashar Ibrahim Jarad and Abo Ahmed Jarad. Muhammad was a man in his 20s with broad shoulders, a clean-shaved face, dark hair, deep-set dark eyes, and full lips wearing a black Prada T-shirt. Mostashar and Abo Ahmed offered condolences to Nahed Ibrahim Jarad, Muhammad’s father.
Nabil al-Kateeb offered condolences to his friend and companion, Ayad al-Arabeed Abu Osama, for the loss of his son Ammar Ayad Muhammad al-Arabeed. Mohammed Atef Al Arbeed Sahafi also mourned the death of Ammar who was his cousin. In the pictures shared by these sources, Ammar is seen as a young man wearing a black Adidas T-shirt.
Umm Aaed Jarad extended condolences for the loss of her husband’s cousin, Muhammad Nahed Ibrahim Jarad. Hanan Alhaya and Zakaria Jarad also expressed their deepest sympathies, with Zakaria grieving the loss of his cousin’s son, Muhammad. Similarly, Hala Hala and her husband, Ayad Mohsen, Muhammad’s cousins, offered prayers, asking God to grant patience and solace to the grieving families. Al-Mostashar Ibrahim Jarad and Abu Ahmed Jarad, also cousins, joined in mourning the tragic loss of Muhammad, with Al-Mostashar Ibrahim Jarad including an image of Muhammad, a young man wearing a shirt with a Prada logo.
Among the victims was a middle-aged man named Alaa Deeb Misbah al-Najjar. Ahmed M. H. Khella mourned the loss of his best friend, Alaa Deeb Misbah al-Najjar, remembering him as a man of great integrity, unwavering honesty, and a constant source of warmth with his constant smile. He described Alaa as a true gentleman in every situation and added that from now on, gatherings with their friends will never be the same without him.
Emad al-Najjar and Ahmed al-Najjar also grieved deeply for their brother Alaa, whom Emad described as the “other half of his soul.” Ahmed, while praying for God’s mercy upon him, admitted his wish that Alaa could have remained with them a little longer.
In the images shared by family and friends, Alaa is pictured at the beach wearing a khaki T-shirt, black trousers, and a black hat.
The owner of “Mona Lisa” barber salon and “Jabalia’s most famous barber”, according to the post by Jabalia Camp, Nader al-Sha’arawi (Abu Ezzat) was among the victims of this deadly attack who died from his wounds. He was a young man and in one of the images, he is seen widely smiling and wearing an elegant three-piece gray suit. His death was mourned by his brother Mohammed Al Sha’arawi who wrote a message: “We only say what pleases Allah “To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return”. Farewell, my brother, until we meet again in heaven, O deceased of our hearts.” He expressed relief at the thought that he could now reunite with the rest of their family who are in a better place.
The loss of Tawfiq Mamdouh Tawfiq Saleh left an indelible mark on the hearts of his family and loved ones. Among those mourning him was Amar Abu al-Aiesh, his nephew, who described Tawfiq as a man of impeccable morals and a devoted son. Cousins Emad Ahmed, Muhammad Meslah, and Muhammad Abu al-Aiesh also paid their respects, with the latter remembering him as a kind, pious, and well-mannered young man.
Tamer M. Saleh, Tawfiq’s brother, shared a deeply emotional tribute, reflecting on the profound loss of someone he described as the kindest soul he had ever known. Tawfiq, he said, led a life of goodness, never causing harm and always maintaining an exemplary reputation. Overwhelmed by grief, Tamer lamented the premature farewell, vividly recalling Tawfiq’s laughter and the unforgettable bond they shared. Tamer recounted their final moments together, including their last phone call the day before Tawfiq’s passing, where they discussed organising belongings and shared light-hearted advice. Despite occasional arguments, Tawfiq always brought warmth and humour to restore peace. Tamer also revealed that Tawfiq had once spoken about how he wished to be given a proper goodbye, confessing his pain at not being able to fulfill his brother’s wishes. Tamer prayed for mercy upon Tawfiq’s soul and sought strength to endure the pain of separation. Yet, amidst the sorrow, he held onto hope, promising to honour Tawfiq’s memory and expressing faith in a future reunion.
Tawfiq was a young man with a trimmed dark beard. Several social media accounts shared a graphic picture of his dead body in a white shroud where his face can be seen.
Among the killed victims mentioned by the sources were also Jamal Rami Abdel Hadi Sobh and Muhammad Moamer. Feras Al Jazazi shared an image of an elderly slender man in his 60s or 70s, stating that this was Muhammad Moamer who had been killed in the deadly strike. There was no additional information about Jamal Rami Abdel Hadi Sobh available in the sources.
Facebook users also identified the name of one injured civilian as Magdy Bahjat al-Telouli. Abu al-Waleed Muhammad al-Talouni, the uncle of Magdy Bahjat al-Telouli, shared on Facebook his prayers for the swift recovery of his nephew, who was injured in the attack. Magdy is seen in the pictures as a teenager or a young man.
The local time of the incident was before 1:50 pm according to the Palestinian Press Agency Safa. Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights in Gaza also mentioned this time, adding that the attack coincided with a large gathering in the schoolyard as food was being distributed to the displaced families sheltered there. A Palestinian journalist and Al Jazeera reporter Anas Al-Sharif (@AnasAlSharif0) reported the incident at 1:12 PM and shared a video filmed by him where people are seen frantically running around the place of the attack and screaming, while some tents were on fire, there were traces of blood on the pavement and two people were lying on the ground – not clear whether they were killed or injured.
At 1:30 PM Anas Al-Sharif reported on Twitter/X that the preliminary toll was 22 deaths and dozens of injured civilians. He shared a number of graphic images showing wounded men lying on a wooden carriage, the body of a male child lying on a marble pavement, bodies in white shrouds on the ground, and a burning tent.
According to another Twitter/X post by Anas Al-Sharif at 2:20 PM, fires were still burning in the Abu Hussein School shelter due to the Civil Defense’s inability to reach it as a result of the repeated shelling by Israeli artillery on the school. At 2:19 PM Al Jazeera Arabic reported that the death toll reached 25 civilians.
The director of ambulance and emergency services in Northern Gaza, whose words were reported by Facebook user al-Amro and tweeted by al-Hakim, confirmed that the school suffered a double strike and described critical shortages in medical specialties due to the ongoing 13-day siege, which has prevented essential supplies from reaching the area, further worsening the situation with many wounded unlikely to survive to their injuries. Moreover, he recounted scenes of wounded children lying on the floor of the overwhelmed Kamal al-Adwan Hospital due to the lack of beds. These images were also captured in a video by al-Aqsa TV. The healthcare official also said that most of the victims of the “massacre” were in critical condition, and some of the martyrs were dismembered.
A graphic video shared by Mohammad Al-Qannas on Facebook showed the bodies of two male children who had been killed in the attack.
Other videos and images circulating online showed the destruction left by the attack, with people bidding farewell to the victims and a tent, made of cloth and wood, burning. Al-Jazeera Arabic affirmed that young men struggled to rescue residents from the tents and extinguish the fires using basic, improvised tools, due to the shortage of water. “No water to put out the fire!” screamed a young man while documenting the subsequent moments of the attack.
Where sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to Israeli forces.
The sources were conflicting on the nature of the alleged Israeli strike. While most of the sources claimed that this had been an artillery strike, Hafid Gougua wrote that “Israeli tanks advanced around the Six Martyrs Junction and committed a massacre by shelling the tents of the displaced in the Abu Hussein School shelter.”
The incident occured at approximately 1:12 pm local time.
The victims were named as:
Family members (4)
Family members (2)
Family members (2)
Family members (2)
The victims were named as:
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the Abu Hussein Elementary School for Boys (مدرسة أبو حسين الابتدائية للبنين) being struck in Jabalia (جباليا). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed the location down to the following exact coordinates: 31.537961, 34.497293.
Summary
Sources (103) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (92) [ collapse]
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Source: @AnasAlSharif0 -
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Source: @AnasAlSharif0 -
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Source: @AnasAlSharif0 -
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Source: Moassat Al Dameer l Hoqoq Al Insan -
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Source: Khaled Mohammed Al Saidone -
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Source: Khaled Mohammed Al Saidone -
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Source: Mansour Al Waqdi -
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Source: Mansour Al Waqdi -
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Source: Husien Husien -
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Source: Manal Mohammed -
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Source: Manal Mohammed -
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Source: Mohammed M Diab -
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Source: Ihcen Bks -
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Source: Ihcen Bks -
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Source: Sawt Falstin plus -
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Source: Afet Al Waredi -
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Source: Nahr al Hadi -
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Source: Nahr al Hadi -
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Source: Omar Omar Abdallaha Al Zenati -
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Source: Hafid Gougua -
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Source: Hafid Gougua -
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Source: Hafid Gougua -
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Source: Hana Temraz -
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Source: MostaFa AlsweiTi -
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Source: Mazen Nur -
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Source: Hanan Alhaya -
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Source: Zakaria Jarad -
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Source: Hala Hala -
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Source: Hala Hala -
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Source: Al Mostashar Ibrahim Jarad -
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Source: Abo Ahmed Jarad -
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Source: Mahmoud abo Al Jebeen -
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Source: Abo Naseem Al Qaisia -
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Source: Abo Naseem Al Qaisia -
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Source: wafihat madinat alzaahiria fi al daakhil w alshatat -
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Source: wafihat madinat alzaahiria fi al daakhil w alshatat -
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Source: wafihat madinat alzaahiria fi al daakhil w alshatat -
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Source: wafihat madinat alzaahiria fi al daakhil w alshatat -
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Source: Abed Aljubain -
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Source: Hesham Abo al Jubain -
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Source: Ahmed M H Khella -
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Source: Emad Al Najjar -
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Source: Ahmed Al Najjar -
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Source: Nabil ALkhateeb -
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Source: Mohammed Atef Al Arbeed Sahafi -
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Source: Khalil Abo Seif -
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Source: Khalil Abo Seif -
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Source: Khalil Abo Seif -
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Source: Khalil Abo Seif -
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Source: Abo Al Baraa Zakaria -
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Source: Abo Al Baraa Zakaria -
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Source: Abo Al Baraa Zakaria -
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Source: Abo Al Baraa Zakaria -
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Source: Amar Abo Al Aiesh -
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Source: Èmàđ Àhmëđ -
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Source: Mohammed abo Al Aiesh -
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Source: Tamer M Saleh -
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Source: Tamer M Saleh -
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Source: Mohammed Meslah -
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Source: Najah Salem -
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Source: Mohammed Mamdouh -
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Source: Kenan Ahmed -
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Source: Jabalia Camp -
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Source: Abu Bakr -
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Source: Karam El Naggar -
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Source: Mohammed Al Sha’arawi -
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Source: Abo Al Waleed Mohammed Al Talouli -
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Source: Mohammed Sh Taluli -
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Source: Feras Al Jazazi -
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