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Airwars Assessment
At approximately 9:34 AM on October 4th, 2024, a reported Israeli “double-tap” drone strike hit a group of individuals in the Al-Marijah area of the Southern Suburbs of Beirut. Two civil defense members/paramedics were killed, and at least three others, including a journalist, were injured. Reports consistently state the victims were a team of paramedics/civil defense personnel and a journalist who were inspecting damage from strikes carried out at dawn, suggesting a “double tap” attack pattern.
Qasim Muhammad Shuhaymi and Muhammad Khalil Awad were identified as paramedics who were killed in the strike. Raed Moustafa announced the killing of the two emergency workers, noting that both Qasim and Muhammad were from the town of Houla and were killed while helping to respond to earlier strikes in Al-Marijah.
Remembering Qasim Muhmmad Shuhaymi
Noted above, Qasim was from the town of Houla and reportedly went to Al-Marijah, outside of Beirut, to help re-open roads and recover those injured in earlier strikes on the neighbourhood.
Widad Mazraani, a relative, remembered laughing with Qasim the day before his killing: “Your departure has broken our hearts. Just yesterday, we were laughing and chatting, telling you not to go to Beirut, but you rushed forward with love and chivalry to help.” Widad emphasised Qasim’s dedication to his family, describing him as “the pillar of the family, a father to his brothers, and a mother and father to his daughters.”
The Facebook account ‘Lebanese Communist Party, Houla Organization’ remembered Qasim as “A martyr of national and humanitarian duty” and extended condolences to Qasim’s family.
Ziad Ghanawi remembered Qasim as “always eager to serve others, offered his pure soul as a blessed sacrifice in service to his country and people. He was martyred while clearing the debris from a vicious airstrike in the Al-Marijah area.”
Iman Yassine wrote that Qasim was a “martyred paramedic” and “hero”. “They overpowered [Qasim] while [he was] trying to rescue the oppressed people.” Facebook account ‘Marjeyoun site’, too, testified to Qasim having been killed while working in an emergency response capacity, writing that he was killed “after being targeted while removing rubble in the suburb this morning.”
Jalal Shreim, a childhood friend of Qasim’s, noted the same: “Qasim Shaheimi, was martyred while performing his humanitarian duty, targeted by enemy airstrikes as he worked to clear roads following the barbaric aggression.”
Remembering Muhammad Khalil Awad
Muhammad was remembered by friends and family members for his selflessness and bravery. A paramedic with the Islamic Health Authority, Muhammad was “a hero who braved death to treat the wounded and save lives”, according to Ziad Ghanawi.
Hady Ktesh remembered Muhammad as “the blessed hero” and their family’s “pride and glory”. Hady’s post was accompanied by a photo of Muhammad, in which he stands proudly, wearing a grey polo with the Islamic Health Authority emblem over his left breast.
Hassan Awad, too, remembered Muhammad, writing that he belonged to the civil defense. Hassan shared the same photo as Hady, but also included two others, one showing Muhammad in a blue emergency services uniform, and another holding what appear to be two twin baby boys.
The Islamic Health Authority
Hezbollah’s media relations confirmed the death of one Civil Defense member from the Islamic Health Authority and the injury of others. Multiple other sources reported a total of three civilians injured in the initial drone strike, later clarified as the paramedic, civil defense team members, and a journalist. The final toll is confirmed as one killed and at least two injured (given that the deceased was a paramedic, and others, including a journalist, were injured).
Video shared by Twitter/X user BRAHEM78933 showed the moments after the strike. One man films as three others rush toward someone on the ground, it appears that the individual on the ground is the wounded journalist. The man videoing, seemingly a paramedic, says “A missile fell on us. Get him up get him up, come here come here. During a tour with journalists a reconnaissance missile was fired at us. Get him up get him up!”
Noted above, the killed paramedic was reportedly affiliated with the Islamic Health Authority. The Islamic Health Authority is a civil defense group that is associated with the Hezbollah. While Hezbollah operates an active militant wing, their political presence is also deeply enmeshed within the state, providing social and organisational services, primarily in the Shiaa majority areas in Southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and the suburbs of Beirut. With this context in mind, and given that there are no indications of militant activities, the presence of the Islamic Health Authority cannot be used to determined if an individual or community is affiliated with the Hezbollah’s armed wing, or that there was a militant presence in the area. As such, this paramedic has been recorded as a civilian.
The day’s events
Legal Agenda reported that Ali Alloush, head of the Press Photographers Syndicate, said that he and colleagues regularly visited the southern suburbs of Beirut to document the aftermath of strikes. He said that he and four colleagues, all photographers, arrived in Al-Marijah in the morning and noticed “a small bulldozer working at the site, accompanied by rescue workers.” Ali said that the vehicle was working to remove rubble when it was “struck by a missile.” A member of the Islamic Health Authority was reportedly driving the missile at the time, and was killed. Mahmoud Karky, media officer for the Islamic Health Authority, reported that in addition to the paramedic who was operating the clearing vehicle, seven other members of the organisation were wounded. As others reported three injuries, seven has been recorded as the maximum number of injured.
The Israeli Military
An article published by Legal Agenda reported that the Israeli military had told Lebanese Civil Defense teams the night prior that any rescue missions or first aid operations would face “direct targeting”, particularly in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The drone attack was uniformly attributed to Israeli forces across all reporting media.
Victims
Individuals
Geolocation Notes
Reports of the incident mention the Al-Marijah neighbourhood (المريجة) in Beirut (بيروت). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed the location down to the following exact coordinates: 33.835194, 35.510167.

Imagery: @BRAHEM358