Conflict

Israel and Gaza (from 2023)

Incident Code

ISPT0077

Location

Bir Al Najah, North Gaza, Palestinian territories
بئر النعجة

Geolocation

31.541901, 34.488035
Accuracy: Neighbourhood/area

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

On October 10, 2023, journalist Salam Khalil Mayma/Mima (33 years old) was killed alongside her two sons Hadi al-Masry (7 years old) and Ali al-Masry (five years old), and their daughter Sham al-Masry (2 years old) in an alleged Israeli airstrike on their home in Al Na’ja, situated in the eastern area of Jabalia Refugee Camp in northern Gaza. Salam’s husband and the children’s father, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander, Muhammad al-Masry, was also killed.

Alhurra News reported the death of Salam Khalil Mayma and her family in a longer article citing journalists killed in the conflict so far. Alhurra News reported that Salam Khalil Mayma was the head of the Women Journalists’ Committee within the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate.

On May 6, 2026, PIJ published a list of commanders killed since October 7, 2023. Muhammad al-Masry was among those named, and he was described as a “Commander in the Central Coordination File – Northern Brigade”. Airwars had originally recorded Muhammad as a civilian, but upon review of the PIJ list updated his status to militant.

Eye on Palestine posted a photo of the family together on Facebook. A number of other posts to social media, primarily Facebook, mourned the death of the family with many posting photos of them. Tawfiq Al Halabi also posted photos of Muhammad al-Masry on Facebook, commemorating the death of his friend and colleague.

The Coalition for Women in Journalism indicated that the bodies of Salam and Hadi were pulled out from the rubble on October 13th, while rescuers were still searching for Salam’s daughter. Some Facebook posts alleged that Muhammad al-Masry and his daughter Sham al-Masry survived the initial impact of the alleged airstrike and were calling to each other under the rubble. BBC and the Coalition for Women in Journalism reported that Ali, five years old, was rescued and survived the bombing, quoting the Mima family. However, other social media posts and news reports on October 13th later confirmed the death of all five family members.

Alhurra News reported that a total of four Palestinian journalists, including Salam Khalil Mayma, were killed on 10 October in alleged Israeli airstrikes that were said to have hit residential buildings. Alhurra claimed that Salam Khalil Mayma was the eighth journalist to be killed in the conflict.

Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023.

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

Assessment Updates

22 May 2026
On May 6, 2026, PIJ published a list of commanders killed since October 7, 2023. Muhammad al-Masry was among those identified. As such, Airwars updated his status from 'civilian' to 'militant' and decreased the number of civilians reportedly killed in this incident by one. Twitter/X user @GabrielEpsteinX alerted Airwars of Al-Masry's inclusion on the PIJ list.

Victims

Family members (4)

Salam Khalil Mayma سلام خليل ميمة
33 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 802820001
Hadi al-Masry هادي المصري
7 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 437003122
Ali al-Masry علي المصري
5 years old male unclear if he was killed or injured killed
Sham al-Masry شام المصري
2 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 445433667

Key Information

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Bir Al Na’jah (بئر النعجة), west of Jabalia (جباليا). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Bir Al Na’jah are: 31.541901, 34.488035.

Military Statements

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

Sources (19)

Facebook Arabic

Twitter English

saraya.ps
6 May 2026

Arabic

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Source ID

461446

Archive URL

Archive

Source URL

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Date

6 May 2026

Source Author

saraya.ps

Languages

Arabic

Translated Content

Military Media - Special Report The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, announced today, Wednesday, the martyrdom of a group of its commanders, all military specialists, who fell during the heroic battles of the blessed Al-Aqsa Flood. Martyr Commander Muhammad Abdul Nasser Al-Masri (Commander in the Central Coordination File - Northern Brigade)

Content

الإعلام الحربي - خاص زفت سرايا القدس الجناح العسكري لحركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين، اليوم الأربعاء، كوكبة من قادتها من ذوي الاختصاصات العسكرية الذين ارتقوا شهداء خلال الملاحم البطولية في معركة طوفان الأقصى المباركة. الشهيد القائد/ محمد عبد الناصر المصري (قائد في ملف التنسيق المركزي - لواء الشمال)

Media from saraya.ps (1)

GabrielEpsteinX
6 May 2026

English

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Source ID

461438

Archive URL

Archive

Source URL

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Date

6 May 2026

Source Author

GabrielEpsteinX

Languages

English

Content

The likely target of an Oct 10, 2023 airstrike in Gaza that killed journalist Salam Khalil Mohammed Mayma (ID#: 802820001, age 32): her husband, PIJ commander Mohammed Abdulnasser Mohammed al-Masri (ID#: 802443788, age 33).

Media from GabrielEpsteinX (2)

Media from Sources (18)