Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

M21ISPT083

Incident date

May 16, 2021

Location

بشارع عوني ضهير, Awni Daheer Street, Rafah, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.280990, 34.265038 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians, one of whom was reportedly a freelance journalist, were severely injured in an alleged Israeli artillery strike on Rafah in the Southern Gaza Strip during the early hours of May 16th 2021.

Ra’ed Mohammed Abdel Wahab Sabbah, aged 46, and Alam al-Deen Abdel Rahman Mohammed Sabbah, aged 23, were reportedly injured by shrapnel from an artillery shell that struck Awni Duhair Street in Rafah around 00:20, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR). Multiple sources including PCHR have reported that both sustained serious injuries, with family members reporting via social media that Ra’ed, a freelance journalist, required intensive medical care.

The Israeli military has not acknowledged the strike, which appears to have been the result of artillery shelling. One source, an individual called Fathi Sabbah, posted on Facebook that the shell came from an Israeli tank stationed behind the Gaza separation barrier. There is also direct footage of the moments of the strike, taken by Alam al-Deen Abdel Rahman Mohammed Sabbah, one of the victims.

The incident occured at approximately 12:20 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Ra’ed Mohammed Abdel Wahab Sabbah رائد محمد عبد الوهاب صباح
46 years old injured
Alam al-Deen Abdel Rahman Mohammed Sabbah علم الدين عبد الرحمن محمد صباح
23 years old injured in his hand injured

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention Awni Daheer Street (بشارع عوني ضهير), in Rafah (رفح‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.280990, 34.265038. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention Awni Daheer Street (بشارع عوني ضهير), in Rafah (رفح‎).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Image of Ra’ed Mohammed Abdel Wahab Sabbah, seriously injured in alleged Israeli shelling of Rafah on May 16th, 2021. (Image posted by Abu Mohammad Sabah, cousin of the injured man)
  • The moment I was randomly targeted by an artillery shell in the city of Rafah, injuring me with several shrapnel

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]