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Incident Date
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Airwars Assessment
Shortly before 2:19 p.m. on Tuesday, 24th October 2023, between six and seven civilians from the al-Jamal family – including at least two adult men, one male child, and three females, at least one of whom was also a child – were reportedly killed, in an alleged Israeli airstrike on their family home near al-Shahid mosque in the east of the al-Bureij camp in Deir al-Balah.
Whilst sources such as the Palestinian Shehab Agency reported on Twitter/X that seven people had been killed in the strike and recovered from the rubble, other sources, including family members such as Waseem Yazan, writing on Facebook, named six victims.
Those named by friends and family members to have been killed in the incident came from two generations of the al-Jamal family. 59-year-old nurse at al-Shifa hospital (Al-Hakim) Kamal Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Jamal, also known as Abu Khaled, was killed alongside his 30-year-old son Dr. Khaled Kamal al-Jamal, and two of his daughters, 21-year-old Marah Kamal al-Jamal, a nurse, and Tasnim Kamal al-Jamal (age unavailable). Also killed in the strike were his 13-year-old nephew Malik Zuhair (Muhammad) al-Jamal and his 15-year-old niece Raneem Zuhair (Muhammad) al-Jamal.
In addition to those killed, sources such as the Shehab Agency reported multiple injuries, without providing a specific number. However, the Shehab Agency posted a photo of two girls, both children, on a hospital bed after being injured in the strike. One girl appears to have suffered only minor injuries, whilst the other girl’s injuries appear to be more severe.
The profile of Kamal Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Jamal at the website Genocide in Gaza stated that he was a nurse at al-Shifa hospital and contained his image of a middle-aged man with short grey hair, thick eyebrows, and a gentle smile, wearing a white shirt, a black suit, and a red tie. His age was indicated as 60, but the first Palestinian Ministry of Health List of Fatalities in Gaza stated that he was 59.
Mourning the loss of the family on Facebook, Waseem Yazan wrote that Khaled al-Jamal was an accountant, but his profile on the website Genocide in Gaza stated that he was a nurse at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. In the attached image, Khaled is seen smiling, dressed in a three-piece grey suit, a white shirt, and wearing a black tie.
Where possible, the names of the victims have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) lists, which include national ID numbers. Since October 26, 2023, the MoH has released a number of lists, along with an additional list of medical professionals, which was released on September 17, 2024. Airwars is matching individuals to the first list where their name appeared. In regard to this incident, the names of the victims are matched to the first and second “Palestinian Ministry of Health Lists of Fatalities in Gaza”, which were released on October 26, 2023, and January 7, 2024. Additional middle names within parentheses were found from the MoH list rather than local sources.
Family members and friends of those killed mourned and paid tribute to them via Facebook.
Waseem Yazan wrote of all those killed, “May God have mercy on them and bring me together with them in the gardens of bliss. Until we meet again.”
Hani Gamal Salem mourned “The rise of the beloved uncle and neighbour Abu Khaled al-Jamal”, writing of his children, “God suffices me, and He is the best disposer of affairs. May God have mercy on them, accept them, and make them among the martyrs, O Lord. May God reward you, may God bless you , my sisters…”
Maher Abdel Moneim expressed his sense of loss over Kamal Muhammad al-Jamal’s death, writing, “I count on God the beloved of my heart, my dear brother and friend / Abu Khaled Al-Jamal, a patient martyr stationed and his dear sons. Goodbye, you filled my heart. Goodbye, my beloved. You left too soon from my heart, my love. It left deep wounds that will not heal… your image will never go away from me. You were a brother, father, advisor, friend, and beloved… Abu Khaled, my beloved, I called you, but there was no answer. I received martyrdom, my weeping and wailing eyes… Newspapers and books of words are not enough for you. Thousands of expressions will not reward you. My tongue cannot describe you with words or words. Goodbye and see you, Abu Khaled. Beauty is in heaven. A thousand peace be upon your soul, O Khalid Al-Jamal. I will cry for you as long as I live, in all the corners of our gatherings and meetings. Your laughter and smiles will remain with me forever, as long as I live. You deserve the martyrdom you have received. I do not recommend you to God. I bear witness to God that you were a worshiper, ascetic, prayerful, generous, giving, and loving. All the qualities of the sincere, righteous, and pure were met in you. By God, no one will replace me like you except you. One Sunday, God is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs. Our date is Paradise, my beloved Abu Khaled Al-Jamal, God willing. Goodbye, and may God give us patience for your separation.”
Meanwhile, Khamis Hussein wrote of Dr. Khaled Kamal al-Jamal, “May God have mercy on him, forgive him, and make him dwell in his spacious paradise.”
All sources that identified a belligerent attributed the strike to Israeli forces.
The strike occurred prior to 14:19 local time.
Victims
Family members (6)
Key Information
Geolocation Notes
Reports of the incident mention the town of Bureij Camp (مخيم البريج), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.437934, 34.403857. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.