Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0027

Incident date

October 8, 2023

Location

الشيخ عجلين, Sheikh Ijlin, Gaza, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.504221, 34.417139 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least 10 members of the Shamlakh family, including three children, were reportedly killed when an alleged Israeli aircraft bombed their home on Street 10, south of Gaza City, on October 8th, 2023. The strike is believed to have occurred at approximately 8:30pm.

Grandfather Abdulnaser Asaad Shamlakh was 56 years old, and was reportedly killed together with his wife, 47-year old Soha Jawan al-Saftawi. Their son, Ahmed Abdel Nasser Shamlakh, 25, and his wife, Warda Khamis Jibril, 21 were also killed. They had two children: two-year-old Abdulnaser Shamlakh, and an infant, Omar Shamlakh, who has been reported as either three or five months old. Abdulnaser and Soha had four other sons killed in the bombing. Marwan Shamlakh was 22. His brother Assad Shamlakh was 20. Mohammed Shamlakh was 18. The youngest, Yazan Shamlakh, was 10. All were killed in the strike.

Several sources described Assad Shamlakh as a freelance journalist killed in his home with nine other members of his family, in Sheikh Ijlin.

Several other sources alleged that twelve people had been killed, though it is unclear who these other two civilians were. No other names have been recorded.

The Palestine chapter of Defense for Children International claimed Israeli forces had fired “several missiles” at the building. Aawsat_News (@aawsat_News), quoting the governmental media office, maintained that the aircraft bombed the home “without warning.”

The home, located in the Sheikh Ajlin neighborhood, consisted of two floors containing four apartments. It housed three families.

The funeral for the family is believed to have taken place the next day, on October 9th, 2023. According to Jacobin, “Shamlakh’s family is one of now dozens of cases of Israeli bombing wiping out not just entire families, but entire family bloodlines.”

Airwars has been able to match all the names of those identified with names listed in the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of nearly 7000 victims’ names and ID numbers released on October 26th.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces.

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 incident occured at approximately 8:30 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (10)

Abdulnaser Asad Shamlakh عبدالناصر اسعد شملخ
56 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 954750832
Soha Jawan al-Saftawi سها جواد الصفطاوي
47 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 921577490
Ahmed Abdel Nasser Shamlakh أحمد شملخ
25 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 404132599
Warda Khamis Jibril وردة خميس جبريل
21 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 407915339
Abdulnaser Shamlakh عبدالناصر شملخ
2 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 445238140
Omar Shamlakh عمر شملخ
0.3 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 444254551
Marwan Shamlakh ممراون شملخ
22 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 407122779
Assad Shamlakh اسعد شملخ
20 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 408449569
Mohammed Shamlakh محمد شملخ
18 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 421142951
Yazan Shamlakh يزن شملخ
10 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 434078960

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Sheikh Ijlin (الشيخ عجلين) to the south of Gaza city (غَزَّة). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed the location down to the following exact coordinates: 31.504221, 34.417139.

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  • Imagery:
    @pmofa

  • Imagery:
    @pmofa

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 12
  • (3 children2 women5 men1 journalist)
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (27) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @mahmoud_qassa
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @mahmoud_qassa
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Jales_tinian2
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Nimer Shamlakh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Nimer Shamlakh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Nimer Shamlakh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Nimer Shamlakh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Nimer Shamlakh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Nimer Shamlakh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abo Al Nemer Al Khateeb
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: ِAl Jabour news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @aawsat_News
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @aawsat_News
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @aawsat_News
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @aawsat_News
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @m7md_ghazali
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: DCI Palestine news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: DCI Palestine news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: DCI Palestine news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @channeldraw
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Amore_Anarchia_

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 12
  • (3 children2 women5 men1 journalist)
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]