Conflict

Israel and Gaza 2021

Incident Code

M21ISPT108

Location

Beit Hanoun, North Gaza, Palestinian territories

Geolocation

31.536116, 34.537239
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: ISPT108)

As many as three people were injured in an alleged Israeli air or artillery strike on a house in Beit Hanoun, North Gaza on May 18th 2021, according to local reports.

While the Palestine Times said the house, belonging to the Al-Kafarneh family, was targeted by an artillery shell, the SHMS News Agency and several other Arabic language sources reported the injuries were the result of an airstrike.

Al Haq published a list of property owners whose buildings had been targeted between the 17th – 19th of May. According to the source, on the 18th of May in the nearby neighborhood of Jabalia, a three-story house belonging to Ahmed Abdel Fattah Bakr Al-Kafarneh was targeted at 10:50 am.

Ahmad Al-Kafarneh has previously been reported as belonging to a Saraya Al-Quds, the militant wing of the Islamic Jihad group: On February 11th 2021, Defense for Children International Palestine, released a report about an explosion at the home of a man named Ahmad Al-Kafarneh: “An explosion in the northern Gaza Strip in late January destroyed a residential building, damaged several public buildings, and caused injury to 18 Palestinian children. The explosion occurred on January 23 around 8:15 a.m. originating on the roof of a three-story residential building in a densely-populated neighborhood in Beit Hanoun, located in the northern Gaza Strip. The building owner’s son, Ahmad Al-Kafarneh, 32, built and maintained a warehouse on the roof used to store munitions and military equipment for the Palestinian armed group, Saraya Al-Quds, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, of which he is a member, according to a source in the North Gaza General Investigation Department.”

Reports of the incident began circulating at approximately 11:00.

Key Information

Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Airstrike and/or Artillery
Strike Status
Likely strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported injured
3

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Beit Hanoun (بيت حانون), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.536116, 34.537239. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

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

Media from Sources (1)