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Airwars Assessment
On October 10, 2023, 18 civilians, including five children and three women, were killed and 23 others were injured in an alleged Israeli airstrike on the al-Najjar family house in Deir Balah in the central Gaza Strip. One militant was also likely killed.
Amnesty International found that US-made munitions were likely used in the strike, which Amnesty called “unlawful”.
In a Facebook post by Amjad Abuljoud reported the names of the victims: Suzan Sobhi Abdel Salam al-Najjar (41), Nadeem Suleiman Salman al-Najjar (20), Safaa Suleiman Salman al-Najjar (1), Farah Suleiman Salman al-Najjar (24), Muhammad Shaldan Salman al-Najjar (26), Mahmoud Shaldan Salman al-Najjar (25), Ruba Shaldan Salman al-Najjar (17), Rawan Shaldan Salman al-Najjar (22), Amjad Khattab (Samir Al-Najjar), Rana Ahmed Yacoub (Abdel Majeed Al-Najjar, 23), Moin Suleiman Moin Salman al-Najjar (6), Zain Suleiman Moin Salman al-Najjar (2 months), Jawd Suleiman Moin Salman al-Najjar (4), Abdullah Moin Salman al-Najjar (23), Zuwaid Moin Salman al-Najjar, Salman Amin Salman al-Najjar (32), and Hanan Tabaza al-Najjar (Ahmed Muhammad Al-Najjar, 55). A post by Ahmad Arafat added Youssef Bakr Muhammad Abu Thuraya (30).
Muhammad Salman al-Najjar (Abu Muhammad) who was also killed was identified by multiple sources as a leader in the Al-Quds Brigade.
@PalinfoAr reported that 11 people were killed and that 23 others were injured, though at the time others were still reported missing.
Family and friends mourned the deaths of the victims on social media. Youssef al-Najjar wrote “May God have mercy on you and make you rest in Paradise for all the members of Aalar Shaldan Al-Najjar, and may God give patience to our hearts for saying goodbye.” Alaa Yacoub posted that their cousin Rana Ahmed Yacoub and her five children were among those killed. Ahmad Abed Rabbo identified the home as “Shaldan Al-Najjar’s family home”.
When Airwars originally published this incident on December 1, 2024, Shaldan Salman al-Najjar – the owner of the home – had not been matched this incident. However, a review of sources on February 27, 2026 found that posts from October 10 through 13, 2023 named ‘the commander Shaldan Salman al-Najjar’ as being killed on October 10, 2023 (Sources include Aboud Abu Dalal, His Excellency Mohammed Abu Samra, and Abu Malik). Additionally, one post shared by the ‘Al-Najjar Family Association’ Facebook account mourned ‘Salman Shaldan Al-Najjar, his sons and daughters, and those who were with them.’ Airwars did not record other sources announcing the death of a ‘Salman Shaldan’, but ‘Shaldan Salman’ is the name of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander, who was referred to as ‘Abu Muhammad’ and also killed on October 10, 2023. Additionally, Facebook user Mohammed Samir Alzerei included a picture of ‘The martyred commander Shaldan Salman’ alongside a list of his family members who killed.
Due to the likelihood that the ‘Al-Najjar Family Association’ account was referring to Shaldan Salman, along with the post from Mohammed Samir Alzerei including a photo of Shaldan alongside the names of his family members who were killed, Airwars has updated this incident to include the death of Shaldan, and recorded him as a militant.
Remembered by PIJ on February 24, 2026, Shaldan was the “Commander of the Northern Deir Al-Balah Battalion – Central Brigade” as reported by the official Saraya al-Quds page – the militant wing of PIJ.
An Amnesty report published in December found that the munitions used were likely US-manufactured JDAMS, likely weighing 2000lbs. Suleiman al-Najjar, whose wife and four children were killed, told Amnesty:
“I was shocked. I rushed home and saw a scene of utter destruction. I could not believe my eyes. Everybody was under the rubble. The house was completely pulverized. The bodies were reduced to shreds.
“Only the body of my son Nadim was recovered whole. My baby girl, Safa, we only found her hand… Now, me and my two surviving sons live in a tent by the ruins of our home. Our lives have been destroyed in a moment. Our family has been destroyed. Something that was unthinkable is now our reality.”
The Amnesty report found no indication of military objectives at the site.
Dar Al-Qanun Law Firm and Legal Consultations posted condolences for Farah al-Najjar, a Sharia lawyer who worked for them.
Several days earlier on October 7th, another 11 members of a family with the name Al-Najjar were also killed in a strike, though the connection to this family is not clear. That incident was assessed separately, in ISPT0002.
Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) lists, which include national ID numbers. Airwars is matching individuals to the first list where their name appeared. In regard to this incident, names are matched to the first ‘Palestinian Ministry of Health List of Fatalities in Gaza’ list.
Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces. According to Al Mezan, no warning was given before the strike.
Assessment Updates
Victims
Family members (18)
Geolocation Notes
Reports of the incident mention Deir al Balah (دير البلح). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed the location down to the following exact coordinates: 31.414496, 34.352518.
Imagery: Amnesty International
