Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0226

Incident date

October 15, 2023

Location

مصبح, Musabah, Rafah, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.303878, 34.277758 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least 16 people were killed, including two children and six women, and nine others were injured, when the al-Masry family home, in the Musabah area of Rafah, was allegedly bombed by Israeli forces at dawn on Sunday, October 15th 2023. The victims came from multiple generations of multiple families.

According to Safa Palestinian Press Agency, by 8:26 am nine injuries were reported and searches were underway for the missing victims still trapped under the rubble.

The victims who were killed were identified by their families as the patriarch, 74-year-old Hajj Jamil Hafez al-Masry, and his wife 61-year-old Hajja Maysoon Ali al-Masry, their daughter 39-year-old Amani Jamil al-Masry and their son 44-year-old Muhammad Jamil al-Masry.

45-year-old Professor Sherine Jamil al-Masry, a daughter of Jamil and Maysoon, and her three sons, 19-year-old Muhammad Jihad al-Akhras, a medical student, Yassin Jihad al-Akhras, a 21-year-old engineering student and five-year-old Anas Jihad al-Akhras were among those killed. Two sources, Faraj Alyan and Akram Almassri, claimed that four of Sherine’s children were killed as well as her husband and that several family members were also injured. Aaed Almasri posted a tribute to the family on Facebook describing Maysoon and Sherine as pure and virtuous and Sherine’s children as polite.

Five neighbours of the al-Masry family were reportedly killed. The victims – all from the extended Hamouda family, included 65-year-old Bassam Ataya Hamouda (Abu Moataz), who was an engineer and his wife, 51-year-old Nariman Khaled Abdel Azim Hamouda (Umm Moataz). Another couple, 63-year-old Ramzi Ataya Hamouda (Abu Muhammad), who was also an engineer, and his wife 55-year-old Etidal Mahmoud Hamouda (Umm Muhammed) were killed alongside their daughter 25-year-old Rawan Ramzi Hamouda. Nayef Khaled Hamouda was also reported as killed by one source. Mohammed Magdey Hamouda posted a tribute to his family on Facebook, describing his uncles Bassam and Ramzi as dear and beloved and his aunts Nariman and Etidal as virtuous and compassionate.

Another neighboring family was also reportedly harmed as 39 year old Aed Abu Mohsen was seriously injured and his 14-year-old son, Muhammad Ayed Abu Mohsen was killed. As Aed Abu Mohsen’s name was found among the Ministry of Health list of fatalities, it seems that he died of his injuries.

One source, Abood Abu Howidy, reported that the house contained 30 members of the Al-Masry and Al-Akhras families.

A funeral procession was planned to move the bodies, at 10:30 am on October 16th from Al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah to al-Namsawi Stadium next to the local cemetery.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to Israeli forces. Multiple sources claim the incident took place without prior warning.

All but one of the 16 names identified have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (8)

Jamil Hafez Al-Masry جميل حافظ المصري
74 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 410603211
Maysoon Ali Al-Masry ميسون علي المصري
61 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 933560278
Amani Jamil Al-Masry أماني جميل المصري
39 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 800194805
Muhammad Jamil Al-Masry محمد جميل المصري
44 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 903435121
Sherine Jamil Al-Masry شيرين جميل المصري
45 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 900555202
Yassin Jihad Al-Akhras ياسين جهاد الأخرس
21 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 408015113
Muhammad Jihad Al-Akhras محمود جهاد الأخرس
19 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 409744349
Anas Jihad Al-Akhras أنس جهاد الأخرس
5 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 440598753

Family members (6)

Bassam Ataya Hamouda بسام عطايا حمودة
65 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 921850947
Nariman Khaled Abdel Azim Hamouda ناريمان خالد عبد العظيم حمودة
51 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 922257969
Ramzi Ataya Hammouda رمزي عطايا حمودة
63 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 921850954
Etidal Mahmoud Hamouda إعتدال محمود حمودة
55 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 920517356
Rawan Ramzi Hamouda روان رمزي حمودة
25 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 404540304
Nayef Khaled Hamouda نايف خالد حمودة
Age unknown male killed

Family members (2)

Aed Abu Mohsen عائد أبو محسن
39 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 800324543
Muhammad Ayed Abu Mohsen محمود عائد أبو محسن
14 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 429329188

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Musabah () area of the city of Rafah (), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.303878, 34.277758. We were unable to find boundaries for this neighbourhood, and, due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 17
  • (2–3 children6 women7–8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • 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 (35) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (40) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @K_a_p_s_o_l_a
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    Source: @m15e7
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    Source: @m15e7
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    Source: @wessammasrea
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    Source: @wessammasrea
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    Source: @wessammasrea
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    Source: Abueulyan
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    Source: Abu arab
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    Source: Abu arab
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    Source: D. emad
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    Source: D. emad
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    Source: Permalink
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    Source: Permalink
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    Source: Asmaayousef19994
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    Source: Asmaayousef19994
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    Source: Asmaayousef19994
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    Source: Basel
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    Source: Basel
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    Source: Akram
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    Source: Akram
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    Source: Faraj
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    Source: Um mahmod
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    Source: Um mahmod
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    Source: Hala
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    Source: Aaed
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    Source: Aaed
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    Source: Um alabed
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    Source: wael
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu mohsen family
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    Source: Alameerhamod
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    Source: Fatima
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    Source: Fatima
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    Source: Fatima
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    Source: Ahmedn
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    Source: Ahmedn
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    Source: Nael
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Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 17
  • (2–3 children6 women7–8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • 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 (35) [ collapse]