Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0115

Incident date

October 11, 2023

Location

المغني, Al Mughni, Deir Al Balah, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.418995, 34.349442 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

During the evening of Wednesday, October 11th, 2023, thirteen civilians across three generations of the extended Baraka family were killed and others were wounded in an alleged Israeli airstrike that destroyed the multi-storey family home in the Al-Mughni area, east of Deir al-Balah. The victims of the attack included at least six children, five women and two elderly people.

An 84-year old elderly man, Hajj Jabr Muhammad Baraka (Abu Khaled), was killed in the strike together with his 75-year old wife Haji Farhana Baraka. The attack also killed their son Shadi Jabr Baraka, their daughters Hanan Haber Baraka and Maysaa Jabr Baraka, their daughters-in-law Haya Sabri Baraka and Fadwa Salama Baraka and their grandchildren: the five granddaughters Sondos Tayser Baraka, Maya Shadi BarakaMary Shadi Baraka, Bayan Ahmed Baraka, and Marwa Ahmed Baraka, and a grandson Muhammad Ahmed Baraka.

Samir Baraka, a grandson of the late Jabr Muhammad Baraka Abu Khaled, confirmed that at least four of the children were young girls in a photo celebrating their lives, which was attached to his Facebook post. The grandson Haled Baraka, the grandson Ahmad Barakah, and the son Om Alaa wrote testimonies about the death of their family members on Facebook. The Baraka family also mourned the death of the thirteen family members in a Facebook post, asking God for mercy and forgiveness for them.

An initial report on October 11th by Saba News confirmed that four victims had been killed, ‘including two women and a girl’. Nabd news later reported that the number of victims had risen to five. That same day in a Twitter/X post a user Ahmed Baraka reported the figure had risen to seven members of the Baraka Family. On the 12th October most sources identified at least 13 victims. Twitter/X user Ali Ibrahim wrote that 13 Palestinians were found dead under the rubble of the building that was destroyed. Only one source, Algad.TV, mentioned the “wounded” but did not specify how many.

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.

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 in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (13)

Jabr Muhammad Baraka Abu Khaled جبر محمد بركة ابو خالد
75 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 975331513
Farhana Baraka فاطمة بركة
75 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 975331521
Shadi Jabr Baraka شادي جابر بركة
39 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 800266496
Hanan Haber Baraka حنان حبر بركة
46 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 900492000
Maysaa Jabr Baraka ميساء جابر بركة
Adult female killed
Haya Baraka هيا بركة
Adult female killed
Fadwa Baraka فدوى بركات
40 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 926713132
Sondos Tayser Baraka سندس تيسير بركة
11 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 432367407
Maya Shadi Baraka مايا شادي بركة
11 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 433492394
Mary Shadi Baraka ماري شادي بركة
female killed
Bayan Ahmed Baraka بيان احمد بركة
female killed
Marwa Ahmed Baraka مروة احمد بركة
female killed
Muhammad Ahmed Baraka محمد احمد بركة
12 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 432364867

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Al Mughni (المغني) area, allegedly located east of Deir Al Balah (دير البلح). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Deir Al Balah are: 31.418995, 34.349442.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    13
  • (6 children5 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Samir Baraka facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Samir Baraka facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Samir Baraka facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Samir Baraka facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Nabd ALsharqiya facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Khaled Baraka facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Baraka family facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Om Alaa facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Om Alaa facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Om Alaa facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Baraka facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Barakah facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Barakah facebook

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 building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    13
  • (6 children5 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]