On Saturday, October 14th 2023, at least 27 members of the Malika family including 11 women, two of whom were pregnant, were killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike on a house belonging to the Malika family in the Al Zeitoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza.

Malek Malika, a relative of the family, mourned the death of his “uncles and aunts, their sons, daughters and grandchildren”, and included their names – Muhammad Assad Malika (Abu Rashid), his wife Ahlam al-Sharbasi, their son Abdul Rahman Muhammad Malika, their daughters Maryam Muhammad Malika, Khadija Muhammad Malika, Aisha Muhammad Malika, Fatima Muhammad Malika, their pregnant daughter-in-law Batoul Murtaja, Ahmed Assad Malika, his wife Halima Rizq al-Hattab (Umm Osama), their sons Mahmoud Ahmed Malika, Omar Ahmed Malika, Alaa Ahmed Malika, Bilal Ahmed Malika, their daughters Nour Ahmed Malika, Mona Ahmed Malika, their pregnant daughter-in-law Malak al-Zamili, Hamdan Asaad Malika, his wife Elham Rizq al-Hattab, their sons Adam Hamdan Malika, Muhammad Hamdan Malika, their daughter Shaima Hamdan Malika, Amna Asaad Malika, her daughter Hoda Yahya Siyam, her son Muhammad Yahya Siam, Nafya Asaad Malika, and her daughter Marwa Amjad Abu al-Naga. These names were corroborated by Rabeha Nabeel and Aya Karim on social media.

Palestinian News and Shadi Press reported on the bombing, stating that the “Malika family was targeted in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, east of Gaza”. Sources on social media Ahmad Mazen and al Sharawmo attributed the bombing to Israeli forces. Mahmoud Harara reported that the burial ceremony for 15 of the victims from the Malika family took place at the Shujaiya cemetery, and included a video of the ceremony. Heba Shaban mourned the death of 25 members of the Malika family, while Ayman Malika, a relative of the family, said “More than twenty martyrs from the Malika cousin family died”, adding that the bombing came without warning. Sources did not specify any injuries.

Elham Rizq al-Hattab was a lawyer, according to a source on social media who offered their condolences, and Halima Rizq al-Hattab was killed with her entire family save for two of her sons. Muhammad Malika was mourned by his colleague at the Palestine Secondary School for Boys named Mahmoud Maher Abu Sharkh, saying he was a “A sweetheart, a beloved colleague with a beautiful smile.” Lama om Yazam and Ahmed Khodeh revealed that among the victims killed was a woman who was nine months pregnant, with the latter sharing a heartbreaking video of the baby that was killed – the identity of the mother is unclear as two of the victims killed, Batoul Murtaja and Malak al-Zamili, were reportedly pregnant. Ahmed Khodeh reported that the paramedic Mahmoud al-Sarhi who arrived at the site of the bombing found out that his fiancee, who had sent him a text the night of the bombing, was among those killed. Mahmoud mourned his fiancee on social media, saying “She has moved to the mercy of God Almighty (Princess) ‘Noor Ahmed Assad Malika’, my fiancée and my soul” – they were supposed to be married the following week.

Airwars was able to find all but three of the named victims among 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.