Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0128

Incident date

October 11, 2023

Location

قيزان النَجّار, Qaizan Al Najjar, Khan Younis, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.323889, 34.286667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the early hours of Wednesday, October 11th 2023, at least six civilians, including at least two children and one woman, were reportedly killed and a number of civilians were injured as a result of an Israeli bombing of a three-story family home in Qaizan Al Najjar in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, likely belonging to the father of senior Hamas commander Muhammad al-Deif.

Many local sources including Alghad news and @ShehabAgency stated that the bombing destroyed roads and that the number of deaths had risen to four people. Twitter/X user @GNNANOW, Alhadath news, and Sharq news all reported that the brother of Muhammad al-Deif, Commander-in-Chief of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, had been killed and identified him as 60-year-old Abdel Fattah Diab Al-Deif. There was no indication through open source research that Abdel Al-Deif was himself a member of the armed group. His brother Muhammad was reported to be one of the key individuals who planned the deadly attack on October 7th inside Israel.

Alhadath News and Majilesna News also stated that the Israeli newspaper “Jerusa Post” had confirmed that the Israeli army bombed the house belonging to the father of the commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades. Majilesna News also included an image of the destroyed building.

Abdel Fattah Diab Al-Deif’s 40-year-old son Medhat Abdel Fattah Al-Deif (Dhaif) was killed alongside his 13-year-old son Baraa Medhat Abdel Fattah Al-Deif, his three-year-old son (likely named Bayan Medhat Abdel Fattah Al-Deif based on familial name matches in a Ministry of Health list of fatalities) and his daughter Hala Medhat Al-Deif. Sharq News and Alhadath News stated the wife of one of Abdel Fattah’s other sons was also killed.

According to a social media tribute to the late Medhat by Nadi Khadamat Yonis, Medhat used to be a “great athlete” and a “great sports supervisor.” He shared an image of Medhat under the emblem of a basketball club. Ali Mansour shared an image of the young Baraa in a red sports uniform with a medal.

Majilesna news reported that the daughter of the woman who was killed was receiving treatment in intensive care at the Nasser Medical Complex and that the searches were continuing for the rest of the family.

Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023. Three year old Bayan Medhat Abdel Fattah Al-Deif was identified based on partial matching of more than three family names among the MoH list.

When sources identified a belligerent, they all attributed the strike to Israeli forces.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Abdel Fattah Diab Al-Deif عبدالفتاح دياب الضيف
60 years old male killed
Medhat Abdel Fattah Al-Deif مدحت الضيف
40 years old male killed
Baraa Medhat Abdel Fattah Al-Deif براء مدحت الضيف
13 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 429519325
Bayan Medhat Abdel Fattah Al-Deif بيان مدحت عبد الفتاح ضيف
3 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 443177811
Hala Medhat Al-Deif حلا مدحت الضيف
Age unknown female killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Qaizan Al Najjar (قيزان النَجّار), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.323889, 34.286667. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Infrastructure
    Residential
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (2–3 children1 woman2–3 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 (11) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mehadi Alhasan facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Hasan Mukhaymer facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Hasan Mukhaymer facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Nadi Khadamat Yonis facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Nadi Khadamat Yonis facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Nadi Khadamat Yonis facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Nadi Khadamat Yonis facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Bilal Saleh Shofer facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ali Mansour facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Infrastructure
    Residential
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (2–3 children1 woman2–3 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]