Israel and Gaza 2023

Israel and Gaza 2023

Satellite imagery, screenshot from Google Earth, October 2023

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Incident Code

PALIS006

Incident date

May 11, 2021

Location

اسدود, Ashdod, Israel

Geolocation

31.785006, 34.629761 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged Palestinian rocket struck a private home in the city of Ashdod, southern Israel on May 11th, 2021 injuring between two and nine civilians, including a child, according to local reports.

Ashdod Net said rescue workers and staff at the Assuta Hospital attended to nine patients with minor injuries, including one child.

@manniefabian reported that there were “2 light injuries according to initial reports”.

The strike came as part of a wave of rocket attacks against the cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. Police announced that two rockets had struck the city of Ashdod according to Emanuel Fabia, a journalist with The Times of Israel. There were reports of as many as 11 casualties reaching hospitals in the city of Ashdod however it was not possible to say which strikes these casualties were attributed to, and so are not included in this assessment.

Ashdod Net uploaded a video from the scene of the alleged strike which showed extensive damage to the interior of a building.

The incident is believed to have taken place in the late afternoon. Various sources alleged that the rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip and by the “resistance”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–9
  • 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 attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Smoke from a home in Ashdod struck by a rocket on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by @aljarmaqnet)
  • Smoke from a home in Ashdod struck by a rocket on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by @manniefabian)
  • Destruction to a home in Ashdod struck by a rocket on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by @manniefabian)
  • Smoke from a home in Ashdod struck by a rocket on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by @manniefabian)
  • Smoke from a home in Ashdod struck by a rocket on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by @manniefabian)
  • Smoke from a home in Ashdod struck by a rocket on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by Ashdodnet News)

Geolocation notes (5) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in Ashdod (אשדוד). Analyzing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed down the location of the strike to these exact coordinates: 31.785006, 34.629761.

  • Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in Ashdod (אשדוד).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Tagged visual material from sources.

    Imagery:
    @manniefabian

  • Distribution of tags in available Google Street View imagery.

    Imagery:
    Google Maps

  • Tagged visual material from sources.

    Imagery:
    @aljarmaqnet

  • Distribution of tags in available Google Street View imagery.

    Imagery:
    Google Maps

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants 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
    2–9
  • 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 attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISPT0279

Incident date

October 17, 2023

Location

مخيم البريج, Bureij camp, Deir al Balah, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.437934, 34.403857 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On October 17th 2023, an unknown number of casualties were reported in a possible strike on the family home of Lal Al-Salhi in Block 2 of the Al-Bureij camp in Gaza.

While numerous sources reported the strike on the Al-Salhi home, few details are available regarding the number of those injured or killed. No names of victims are offered, and no sources include photos of the aftermath of the strike.

Most accounts simply state: “Injuries in the bombing of the Al-Salhi family’s house in Block 2 of the Bureij camp.” Only one source, a Facebook post by Khamis, offers something like a numerical figure, stating that there were attempts to remove “dozens of wounded and martyrs” from the rubble of the home, which Airwars has quantified as 12-24 in both the fatality and injury range. Given the lack of specificity in reporting, Airwars has graded the harm status as “weak” until further information comes to light.

Due to none of the accounts directly naming Israel as the belligerent, the strike status has been graded as “contested”. However, a tweet by @quds_yu references the strike on the Al-Salhi home, and mentions, separately, Israeli bombing of Khan Yunis.

Due to the scale and urgency of Airwars’ assessment process, all images have been automatically uploaded to each assessment with the graphic filter applied to protect users. We have also included all images identified from the sources, which may also include any imagery of combatants.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp, Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 24
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Israeli Military, Palestinian Militants

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Block 12 being struck, allegedly located within Bureij camp (مخيم البريج). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Bureij camp are: 31.437934, 34.403857.

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp, Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 24
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Israeli Military, Palestinian Militants

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

PALIS034

Incident date

May 20, 2021

Location

بئر السبع, Beersheba, Israel

Geolocation

31.21501329, 34.81241023 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A rocket struck a factory in an industrial area of Beersheba, Israel on May 20th, 2021 resulting in injuries, according to local reports.

In a video posted by Al Jazeera Arabic several vehicles parked outside the factory were also seen to be damage. Images uploaded by Quds10 show damage to an exterior wall of the factory.

A tweet from Al Jazeera Arabic mentions “injuries caused by rockets falling on the city of Beersheba, launched from the Gaza Strip” but does not identify how many. However, Jerusalem Post reported that all of the rockets that fell on Beersheba hit open areas and no casualties were reported.

Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for rocket fire targeting the area, posting in Telegram “we renewed the bombing of occupied Be’er Sheva with a missile launch for the third time in half an hour”, added later that “the enemy admits that a number of [settlers] were injured in the recent Qassam bombing of Beersheba”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Damage to a building caused by rockets from Gaza on May 20, 2021. (Image posted by @qudsn)

Geolocation notes (3) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a warehouse being struck in the industrial area of Beersheba (بئر السبع). Analyzing audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 31.21501329, 34.81241023.

  • Tagged street view imagery from Google Earth

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Tagged panoramic stitch from audio-visual sources

    Imagery:
    @AJArabic

  • Reports of the incident mention a warehouse being struck in the industrial area of Beersheba (بئر السبع).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Palestinian Militants
Official source

13:28
Al-Qassam Brigades renews shelling of occupied Beersheba for the third time in half an hour

13:42
The enemy admits that a number of [settlers] were injured in the recent Qassam bombing of Beersheba

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Incident Code

M21ISPT005

Incident date

May 10, 2021

Location

صالح دردونة, Saleh Dardouna Street near Al-Omari Mosque in Jabalia, North Gaza, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.526024, 34.483359 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians were killed, including two children, and as many as 34 people were injured, when an alleged rocket fired by a Palestinian armed group landed in Saleh Dardouna Street, near the al-Omari Mosque in Jabalia, north Gaza on May 10th 2021, according to multiple sources.

An investigation by Human Rights Watch revealed that seven civilians had been killed. The victims were named as: Bara al-Gharabli, 6; Mustafa Mohammad Obied, 14; Mousa Khamees Junied al-Zain, 20; Raed Abu Warda, 33; Nabeel Noman Dardona, 24; Ismat al-Zain, 50; and Basheer Aloush, 54. Fifteen people were said to have been injured, including five children. A shopkeeper who witnessed the strike identified one of the injured children as Mohammed Shaban.

In a report published on May 11th 2021, Defence for Children International – Palestine, said eight civilians had been killed and as many as 34 injured, 10 of them children. Mustafa Mohammad Mahmoud Obaid, 16, was killed in the blast, and five-year-old Baraa Wisam Ahmad al-Gharabli succumbed to his injuries around 11 p.m. on May 10.

Another man, Zakaria Ziad Alloush, was also reported to have been killed. Tributes were paid online by relatives who identified Basheer and Zakaria Alloush as uncle and nephew respectively.

Four people, who were on the street at the time, said they saw a rocket rise into the sky above them and then fall to the street. Two adults said they saw the rocket approach from the northwest. Human Rights Watch spoke to a relative of one of the deceased who was at the scene. He gave the following account: “At about 6 p.m. I was standing near the entrance to the local market on Martyr Salah Dardona Street. I was near about 50 people who were close together in the street. Some of them were there to get food for poor people, cooked by locals wanting to help the poor during Ramadan. Suddenly, I heard a barrage of rockets being fired and I looked up and saw them rise in the air. I saw one rocket rising in the shape of a spiral and then it came down in the middle of the street about 10 meters from where I was standing.” The relative said that among those killed and injured were a father and a child washing a car, a man riding a motorbike, a child coming to get a plate of food, a woman exiting a hairdresser’s shop, and a child playing in front of a bicycle shop. The relative later spoke to a person who told him that six rockets had been launched from the Sheikh Radwan area of Jabalya.

The wife of one of those killed gave the following account: “[My husband] had just come home from work. He had bought sweets and new clothes for everyone, in preparation for Eid [Muslim holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan]. Before he left, he gave the kids some sweets and kissed and hugged them. Then he asked me to look after the kids, as he wanted to buy one more thing. He told me he wouldn’t be delayed, as he was feeling tired. But he never came back.”

Some sources, including accounts from relatives of the victims, reported that Israeli forces were responsible for the strike. Human Rights Watch determined, based on witness accounts during site visits, munition remnants, and a review of video footage, that the casualties had been caused by a Palestinian rocket. Defence for Children International – Palestine came to the same conclusion citing Palestinian security sources and explosives experts.

The website NGO Monitor reported that one of the deceased, Issmat Shaaban Al-Zain had been a member of the Izz Ad-din Al-Qassam brigades. Al Qassam verified that he was a member, posting in their Telegram channel “The martyr Al-Qassami Mujahid / Ismat Sha`aban Al-Zein from Jabalia Al-Balad, who was martyred during the battle of #Saif_Al-Quds”. The Israeli Defense Force also identified Raed Abu Warda as “a Hamas terrorist operative [who] was killed in a failed jihadist launch” but Raed’s name was not posted in the official Al Qassam Telegram channel.

The strike occurred at 18:00 local time.

The incident occured at approximately 6:00 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Bashir Muhammad Alloush بشير محمد علوش
54 years old male Uncle killed
Zakaria Ziad Alloush زكريا زياد علوش
18 years old male Nephew killed

The victims were named as:

Nabil Al-Nu'mani Daroudeh نبيل النعمان دردونة
24 years old male killed
Baraa Wissam Ahmed al-Garabli براء وسام أحمد الغرابلي
6 years old male killed
Mustafa Muhammad Ubaid مصطفى محمد عبيد
14 years old male killed
Musa Khalil Al-Zein موسى خليل الزين
20 years old male killed
Mohammed Shaban محمد شعبان
Age unknown male A shop owner was quoted as telling HRW “I saw a child, Mohammed Shaban, whose eyes were bleeding”. injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (2 children4–5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–34
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Palestinian Militants, Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Palestinian Forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–2

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Baraa Wissam Ahmed al-Garabli was killed when a Palestinian rocket reportedly fell short of its target on May 10th, 2021. (Image posted by Musa Alloush)
  • An image of Bashir Muhammad Alloush Abu Sa'ad (Image posted to the Facebook page of Abo Ibrahim Al Adham)
  • An image of Issmat Shaaban Al-Zain posing with a weapon. (Image posted by Hamas and used in a report by the Israeli research organisation, NGO Monitor)
  • A collage of images of Nabeel Dardona, Mousa al-Zain, Raed Abu Warda, Basheer Aloush, Zakaria Alloush, Mustafa Obied and Ismat al-Zain who died on May 10th 2021. Included are images of Muhammad Saber Suleiman and Saber Ibrahim Suleiman (ISPT003). (Image posted by the International Middle East Media Center)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded man is helped by onlookers. (Image posted by the International Middle East Media Center)
  • An image of Zakaria Alloush who died alongside his uncle Bashir Alloush. (image posted to Facebook by Musa Alloush)
  • "ראא'ד אלעבד זכי אבו ורדה. פעיל בארגון הטרור חמאס, נהרג משיגור כושל של הג'יהאד" Ra'ad El-Abd Zaki Abu Varda. A Hamas terrorist operative was killed in a failed jihadist launch.

Geolocation notes (4) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a strike on Saleh Dardouna Street (صالح دردونة) near Al Omari Mosque (مسجد العمري) in Jabalia (جباليا). Analyzing visual material from sources, we have narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 31.526024, 34.483359.

  • A composite still from a video showing the immediate aftermath of the incident on Saleh Dardouna Street (صالح دردونة), May 10, 2021.

    Imagery:
    Knooznet Article

  • A composite still from a video showing the immediate aftermath of the incident on Saleh Dardouna Street (صالح دردونة), May 10, 2021.

    Imagery:
    Knooznet Article

  • A composite still from a video showing the immediate aftermath of the incident on Saleh Dardouna Street (صالح دردونة), May 10, 2021.

    Imagery:
    Knooznet Article

  • Satellite image taken May 21, 2021, showing the features in the image above to verify an exact location.

    Imagery:
    Planet

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (2 children4–5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–34
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Palestinian Militants, Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Palestinian Forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–2

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

PALIS031

Incident date

May 19, 2021

Location

أوفاكيم, Ofakim, Israel

Geolocation

31.30992556, 34.62417619 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One person was injured when a rocket struck the city of Ofakim, southern Israel on May 19th 2021, according to local reports.

Shihab news agency quoted “Hebrew sources” saying: “A settler was injured in Ofkim after the resistance fired a wave of missiles.”

The Al Qassam Brigade claimed responsibility for the strike, according to Anadolu Agency. “Al-Qassam Brigades bombed the usurper of the Zionist “Ofkim” with a missile launch” was posted in the Hamas Telegram channel at 18:00 and 18:50 on May 19th.

Kan News reported the rockets struck Ofakim and the nearby city of Be’er Sheva. One rocket was intercepted and three fell in an open area, according to the source.

No further details regarding the identity of the victim were reported.

News of the strike began circulating amongst Arabic media sources at approximately 20:00

The incident occured at approximately 8:00 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A settler was injured in "Ofkim" after the resistance fired a missile on May 19, 2021. (Image posted by @zaidaltholaia)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ofakim (אופקים), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.30992556, 34.62417619. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Palestinian Militants
Official source

18:00
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
Al-Qassam Brigades bombed the usurper of the Zionist "Ofkim" with a missile launch

18:50
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
Al-Qassam Brigades bombed "Ofkim" with a missile launch

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

PALIS005

Incident date

May 11, 2021

Location

حولون, Intersection of Sokolov St. and Kugel St., Holon, Israel

Geolocation

32.0227673, 34.7747835 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as eight to eighteen civilians were injured and at least one civilian was killed by a rocket allegedly fired from Gaza which struck the city of Holon, Central Israel, at around 9pm on May 11th, 2021, according to local media reports.

Mynet reported that the rocket struck next to the line 4 bus injuring four passengers critically. Mako News reported that eight people were evacuated to hospital including a 30 year old woman, 50 year old man, and a 5 year old girl.

Mynet named the girl Orian and reported her twin brother was also injured in the attack.

Mynet also reported that “six people were injured at the scene” but a “total of 18 patients came from the inident, of which 1 was severe in the operating room and 1 severe in the shock room.”

Spartak Zevulun, a local shopkeeper who was outside his store when the rocket struck, gave an interview to Mako News from Wolfson Hospital where he was being treated for chest and back injuries.

France 24 and the Alhurra Post reported that a woman was killed in the bombing.

Sources vary in the number and severity of injuries reported.

France 24 carried an announcement by Hamas that it had launched 130 rockets towards the city of Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening. Shihab News also posted a video with the caption, “the moment the Al-Qassam, M-M rockets landed in Tel Aviv, and there were casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Orian
5 years old female injured
Twin brother of Orian, name unknown
5 years old male injured

The victims were named as:

Spartak Zevulun
Age unknown injured
Name unknown
30 years old female injured
Name unknown
50 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–18
  • 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 attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (42) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • Image caption: Hebrew Channel 12: The location of one of the Qassam Brigades' rockets that hit a bus in Holon, Tel Aviv (image via @PalinfoAr)
  • Image shows damage caused by a rocket attack in Israel's Holon (image via @TRTArabi)
  • Image shows damage to a bus hit by a rocket in Israel's Holon. Up to eight civilians were injured in the attack (image via@TRTArabi)
  • Translated image caption reads: Pictures showing the extent of the losses in Holon, near Tel Aviv, after the fires caused by the rockets of the resistance (image via @TRTArabi)
  • Damage caused by rocket attack in Israeli Holon on May 11th, 2021. Up to eight civilians were injured as a result (image via @TRTArabi)
    Translated caption reads: Further to the sirens heard in Holon: MDA EMTs and Paramedics are treating and evacuating 3 injured to the hospital in moderate condition. Among them are a 50 year old man, a 30 year old woman and a 5 year old girl. An update will follow as needed (image via @Mdais)
  • Image shows damage to a bus. Mynet reported that a rocket struck next to the line 4 bus (image via @IsraelArabic)
  • Translated image caption: A missile hits a bus in Holon (image via Faten.Elwan)
  • Damage caused by rocket attack in Israeli Holon on May 11th, 2021. Up to eight civilians were injured as a result (image via @TRTArabi)
    Translated caption reads: Further to the sirens heard in Holon: MDA EMTs and Paramedics are treating and evacuating 3 injured to the hospital in moderate condition. Among them are a 50 year old man, a 30 year old woman and a 5 year old girl. An update will follow as needed (image via @Mdais)
  • Translated caption reads: Further to the sirens heard in Holon: MDA EMTs and Paramedics are treating and evacuating 3 injured to the hospital in moderate condition. Among them are a 50 year old man, a 30 year old woman and a 5 year old girl. An update will follow as needed (image via @Mdais)
  • Image shows 5-year-old Orian who was injured in the rocket attack on May 11th. 2021 (image via Mynet Holon)
  • The caption says that Orion, who was injured in the May 11th, 2021 rocket attack, is preparing to return home after being in the hospital as a result of a fragment penetrating a carotid artery leading to the brain (image via Forum Holon)

Geolocation notes (3) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention Holon (חולון), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.01034, 34.77918. A video posted by Shihab Post at the time of strike shows Sokolov Street (רח’ סוקולוב), and other reports mention a bus being struck on Kugal Street (רח קוגל). Based on the imagery of the damage and street view images of the area, a possible location of the strike is: 32.0227673, 34.7747835.

  • Reports mention a bus being struck on Kugal Street (קוגל) in Holon (חולון).

    Imagery:
    Google Maps

  • Distribution of tags in available Google Street View imagery.

    Imagery:
    Google Street View

  • Tagged visual material from sources.

    Imagery:
    Shihab Post

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Palestinian Militants

18:47
Now, and in implementation of our promise, the Al-Qassam Brigades launched the largest missile strike on Tel Aviv and its suburbs, with 130 missiles, in response to the enemy's targeting of civilian towers.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–18
  • 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 attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (42) [ collapse]

Incident Code

PALIS021

Incident date

May 13, 2021

Location

قرب اشدود, Shtulim, Israel

Geolocation

31.773639, 34.684618 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local reports, an elderly woman died after sustaining a head injury while running to a protected area in the town of Shtulim near Ashdod, Israel during a reported Hamas rocket attack on May 13th 2021.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs named the woman as 84-year-old Miriam Arie. Reporting of Mrs. Arie’s age varies across other sources.

The Israeli media outlet, Kan Darom, said residents were made aware of an impending strike when an alarm sounded in the town of Shtulim at 22:38, part of the Beer Tuvia Regional Council. Aharon Zeno, a paramedic, told the outlet that members of the victim’s family said her death had been the result of a slip. One source, Kann News, reported that Mrs. Arie fell after colliding with a security guard.

Haaretz said that medics with the Hatzalah medical service tried to resuscitate her at the scene where she was reported to have died shortly after.

One source, @GeneralInspect2 on Twitter, reported that multiple people had been injured as a result of the incident, no further details were provided.

In 2016 Miriam Arie was interviewed by the website Ravdori. In the interview, she describes how she emigrated to Israel from Yemen in 1949 at the age of 13. She also described her family life, saying: “Today I am already a great grandmother, I have nine children, I had another child named Gabriel, he died of epilepsy. I have 26 great grandchildren and 9 grandchildren. I still live in Moshav Shtulim with two of my cousins ​​and Ilan, and raise a large, high-quality farm of cows to produce milk.”

Two sources, Yousri Saied and Avi Mayer, described Hamas as being responsible for the strike.

Indirect harm incident only.

The incident occured at approximately 10:40 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Miriam Arie
84 years old female Miriam Arie immigrated to Israel from Yemen in 1949 at the age of 13 killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Miriam Arieh pictured on the right with a family member (published by Ravdori in 2016, courtesy of family)
  • Miriam Arieh is seen with her husband (published by Ravdori in 2016, courtesy of family)
  • Miriam Arieh is seen with famiy members (published by Ravdori in 2016, courtesy of family)
  • Miriam Arieh is seen with her grandchildren in an immigrant camp (published by Ravdori in 2016, courtesy of family)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Shtulim (שְׁתוּלִים‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.773639, 34.684618. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

M21ISPT019

Incident date

May 12, 2021

Location

زلاطة, Zalata, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.260063, 34.29657 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two civilians, including a child, were killed and another civilian, a child, was injured in artillery strikes on the Zalata neighborhood in Al-Shoka, eastern Rafah on May 12, 2021.

According to @PalinfoAr, “an elderly man was killed, and a child was wounded by an Israeli artillery shelling of agricultural land east of Rafah”. However, Israel-Palestine Timeline reported that “the soldiers killed an elderly Palestinian man, and a child, when the army fired missiles into agricultural lands”.

A post from Abo Ashraf identified the name of the elderly man: Hammad Ayyad Mansour al-Dabbari, 86 years old.

Diaa Al Badri posted on Facebook about the life of Hammad: “Hammad Ayyad al-Dabari was born in al-Amarah – Beersheba district in 1935, and on its land he grew up, joined al-Amarah school and finished the ninth grade, and after the Zionist gangs committed many heinous massacres and terrorist acts against the Palestinian people, the family of Ayyad al-Dabari was forced to flee to what was left from their land east of Rafah, and after repeated Zionist attacks on various places in the Gaza Strip, Lieutenant-Colonel Mustafa Hafez was assigned in 1955 to form a battalion of Palestinian fedayeen to work behind enemy lines. [He was] in charge of reconnaissance operations inside the occupied Palestinian Territories and determining the goals according to the instructions of the leadership, and he participated in the war of 1956 and 1967, then he continued his struggle in the bases of the guerrillas in the outer squares, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon”.

Al Mezan reported that “at 8:20pm, medical sources at Rafah’s Abu Yousef Al-Najjar Hospital announced the death of Hammad Ayyad Mansour Al-Dabari, 86, as a result of an injury to his head caused by the shrapnel of a missile that hit near his home in the Zalata neighborhood in Al-Shoka, eastern Rafah”.

The National News Agency obtained a statement from the “Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine” and its military wing, the “National Resistance Brigades” mourning Hammad Ayyad al-Dabari, who died in an Israeli raid in the Shoka area east of Rafah, while performing his national duty.

Multiple sources identified Israel as responsible for the shelling. The NGO Monitor differs in that it reported that “Al Haq and PCHR both reported that the circumstances of the incident were still under investigation, but “coincided with the firing and interception of homemade Palestinian rockets from the Israeli Iron Dome system, and the firing of Israeli artillery shells.” It also reported, “Omission of Hamas role: Al Haq’s and PCHR’s explanations are inconsistent with Iron Dome’s capabilities and deployment in intercepting rockets, which could not conceivably have intercepted a rocket over Rafah.”

The NGO Monitor included this incident in a table titled, “Palestinian Casualties Likely Caused by Palestinian Weapons.”

The incident occured at approximately 8:20 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Hammad Ayyad Mansour al-Dabbari حماد عياد منصور الدباري
86 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Israeli Military, Palestinian Militants

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Image of Hammad Ayyad Mansour al-Dabbari, killed in alleged Israeli airstrikes on agricultural land east of Rafah on May 12, 2021. (Image posted by Diaa Al Badri via Facebook)
  • Image of Hammad Ayyad Mansour al-Dabbari, killed in alleged Israeli airstrikes on agricultural land east of Rafah on May 12, 2021. (Image posted by Abo Ashraf via Facebook)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of Hammad Ayyad Mansour al-Dabbari, killed in alleged Israeli airstrikes on agricultural land east of Rafah on May 12, 2021. (Image posted by Ali Fahedi via Facebook)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Zalata (زلاطة) neighbourhood, for which the generic coordinates are: 31.260063, 34.296570. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Zalata (زلاطة) neighbourhood.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Israeli Military, Palestinian Militants

Sources (14) [ collapse]