At approximately 12:00 pm on Friday, 1st November 2024, at least 11 civilians, including at least one woman and two children, were killed, and four others were reportedly injured when an alleged Israeli artillery strike hit the gate of Nuseirat Preparatory School, which was sheltering displaced people. This took place north of the Al-Nuseirat camp in the Gaza Strip.

At 1:26 pm, Safa News reported ten deaths resulting from artillery shelling that targeted the gate of Nuseirat Preparatory School. Further reports and social media testimonies emerged over the next few hours, revealing the names and ages of the victims and raising the number of civilians reportedly killed to eleven. According to a report issued by PCHRGaza News, at approximately 12 pm, Israeli forces previously stationed northwest of the Nuseirat camp fired a shell targeting the preparatory school and a group of residents gathered in front of it.

The victims killed in the incident were identified as Fatima Daoud Salman al-Louh, 52 years old; Maher Muhammad Jaber al-Louh, 43 years old; Muhammad Jaber Muhammad al-Louh, 16 years old; Muhammad Suleiman Mustafa Salamah, 20 years old; Mahdi Ismail Mahmoud Abdel Aal, 53 years old; Muhammad Mubarak Abdullah Mubarak, 35 years old; Rami Bakr Hassan al-Qar’a, 41 years old, and his son Abdullah, 13 years old; Ismail Eid Ismail Matar, 38 years old; Ibrahim Ismail Ahmed al-Araj, 18 years old; and Sami Abdullah Ramadan Mahdi, 47 years old.

Friends and family members mourned the deaths of these 11 civilians on social media. Mahmoud al-Louh shared on Facebook his grief over the loss of his mother, Fatima Daoud al-Louh, who was the “light of his life,” as well as his two cousins, including 16-year-old Muhammad Jaber Muhammad al-Louh. Mahmoud specified that Muhammad Salamah, a neighbour, had lived with him throughout the war, and had become “like a brother to us”.

Mahmoud also identified the four civilians injured in the attack as his father, Alian Jaber al-Louh; his sister, Mona Alian al-Louh; his brother’s daughter, Tasneem Muhammad al-Louh; and his brother’s son, Naseem Muhammad al-Louh.

Other friends and relatives of the victims expressed their sorrow online. Rania Al Alouh said that her family, in its extended entirety, had lost “more than two hundred” people “since the beginning of the war”. Hossam Abdel Aal shared a photo of his uncle, Mahdi Ismail Abdel Aal, on Facebook. In the picture, Mahdi is wearing a green top and jeans, sitting on a sofa. Abo Adnan Abed al-Aal also shared the same photo, captioning it: “God is witness in His heaven; your loss is very, very painful.”

Many shared photos of Ismail Eid Ismail Matar, including Montaser Matar, who posted an image of Ismail with his arm around a young girl, both smiling at the camera. A tribute by Emad al-Din Basheer Hamo described Ismail as a teacher and “kind-hearted man” who was also “funny.”

Further testimonies mourned the loss of Ibrahim Ismail Ahmed al-Araj. A tribute came from Nael Hallaq, Ibrahim’s cousin, who shared a photo of Ibrahim smiling into the distance, wearing a black top and denim jeans. Nael wrote: “I knew you were strong, my brother Ibrahim. So many times, I drew strength from our conversations. I swear to God, I don’t know what to say, as the shock is greater than the strength to bear this loss” and stating his shock and turmoil at learning of the attack and praying for Ibrahim’s safe return. Similarly, Basem Awadallah Abu Muhamed posted condolences from the Al-Rahma neighborhood committee, expressing deep sorrow for the loss of their “noble, active and kind” member, Sami Abdullah Ramadan Mahdi. They included a photo of a man, presumably Sami, on a stretcher as a hand attempted to tend to him.

A video shared on X/Twitter by @alwqys31560 captured the aftermath of the attack. It showed multiple injured civilians being carried over shoulders to receive aid. The footage also depicted gravely wounded individuals on the ground, surrounded by community members trying to assist them. Some were being taken away in search of medical help. Toward the end of the video, a woman, presumably a family member, is filmed crying over a young child who lies in her arms. Video evidence suggests that at least four people were injured.

All sources attributing responsibility for the strike identified the Israeli military as the belligerent.