Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Citations

Nearly 3,000 Palestinians killed in first days of Gaza war named by conflict monitor

Following the publication of a major Airwars investigation in July 2024 detailing where and how 3,000 civilians were killed in the first three weeks of the war in Gaza, the Guardian ran a feature on the Airwars casualty recording methods and mission.

In an extensive interview, the article outlines the scale of harm documented by Airwars in comparison to other conflicts, and explains Airwars’ key message: that counting casualties in war is possible and necessary.

A series of incidents were featured in the article, including three incidents where more than 100 civilians were killed in a single strike.

The original Airwars investigation can be read here.

Media
References 4 incidents
Published in The Guardian on 29 July 2024
4 incidents

Incident date

October 31, 2023

Incident Code

ISPT0784

LOCATION

برج المهندسين, al Muhandeseen Tower, Deir al Balah, the Gaza Strip

On October 31st 2023, an alleged Israeli airstrike on the multistorey Al-Muhandeseen Tower (the ‘Engineers Tower’) located east of Nuseirat Camp, Central Gaza, killed between 133 and 164 civilians, including a likely estimate of 67 children. Airwars was able to identify 133 civilians belonging to 14 different families, including 131 individuals where gender and ages

Summary

First published
March 1, 2024
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Apartment Building
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
133 – 164
(67–77 children36 women18 men)
Civilians reported injured
12–24
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
Named victims
138 named, 14 families identified
Names matched with MoH IDs
19
Geolocation
Exact location (via Airwars)
View Incident

Incident date

October 25, 2023

Incident Code

ISPT0587

LOCATION

بمحيط برج التاج 3, Vicinity of al-Taj Tower 3, Gaza, the Gaza Strip

On October 25, 2023, an alleged Israeli strike on the al-Taj building and surrounding areas killed at least 101 people, including 44 children and 37 women, and injured “hundreds” of others. Lower initial death tolls were reported in the immediate aftermath of the strike, with casualty counts challenged by so many individuals trapped underneath the

Summary

First published
December 1, 2023
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Apartment Building
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
101
(44 children37 women26 men)
Civilians reported injured
100–200
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.
Impact
Food
Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
Known belligerent
Israeli Military
Named victims
115 named, 8 families identified
Geolocation
Exact location (via Airwars)
View Incident

Incident date

October 31, 2023

Incident Code

ISPT0783

LOCATION

مخيم جباليا, Jabalia camp, North Gaza, the Gaza Strip

On October 31, 2023 confirmed Israeli strikes on the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp killed at least 126 civilians, including 68 children. A further 280 civilians were reported injured by the director of the nearby Indonesian Hospital. A second strike hit the same location the following day, though the full casualty assessment for that incident

Summary

First published
November 1, 2023
Last updated
December 17, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
126 – 143
(69 children22 women29 men)
Civilians reported injured
280
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Confirmed
A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
Known belligerent
Israeli Military
Known target
Palestinian Forces
Named victims
112 named, 11 families identified
Names matched with MoH IDs
4
Geolocation
Exact location (other)
Belligerents reported killed
12–24
View Incident

Incident date

October 9, 2023

Incident Code

ISPT0044

LOCATION

محيط إحدى مدارس الأونروا, Vicinity of an UNWRA-led school, North Gaza, the Gaza Strip

On October 9, 2023, an alleged Israeli airstrike on/near a market in Jabalia refugee camp resulted in between 65 and 73 civilians killed, including at least 15 children and six women, and “hundreds” of wounded. A tweet from Al Jazeera Mubasher News (@ajmubasher) reported that “at least 50 were killed in a new Israeli bombardment

Summary

First published
October 8, 2023
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
IDP or Refugee Camp
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
65 – 73
(15–17 children6 women14 men)
Civilians reported injured
100–200
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.
Impact
Education,Food,Healthcare
Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
Suspected belligerent
Israeli Military
Named victims
65 named, 10 families identified
Names matched with MoH IDs
40
Geolocation
Exact location (via Airwars)
View Incident