Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0261

Incident date

October 14, 2023

Location

تل الهوا, Tal al Hawa, Gaza, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.498611, 34.4425 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On October 14th, 2023, Counselor Muhammad Fahmi Al-Najjar, along with 15 family members, including three women and ten children, were killed by an alleged Israeli airstrike on his residential home in the Al-Hawa neighborhood in the southwest of Gaza City. Most sources agree that the home of the deceased was “directly” bombed by the Israeli military.

Safa news agency reported that Muhammad Fahmi Al-Najjar, who is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Authority for Documentation and Prosecution of Occupation Crimes, was killed alongside his parents, his family and that of his brother’s family in the alleged airstrike. The grandparents of the family, 74 year old Fahmi Muhammed Al Najjar and 74 year old Fatima Khalil Al Najjar, were killed alongside their two sons and wives, 41 year old Muhammad Fahmi Al-Najjar and his wife 34 year old Haneen Al Najjar, and 36 year old Firas Fahmi Al-Najjar and his wife 30 year old Samah Al Najjar, and their grandchildren: Muhammad’s six children Fahmi Mohammed Al Najjar, 14 year old Omar Mohammed Al Najjar, 13 year old Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Najjar, 4 year old Yousef Mohammed Al Najjar, 3 year old Anas Mohammed Al Najjar, and 5 year old Fatima Mohammed Al Najjar; Firas’ four children 5 year old Yaman Firas Al Najjar, 7 year old Obaida Firas Al Najjar, 10 year old Fatima Firas Al Najjar, 3 year old Sara Firas Al Najjar.

Following the incident, colleagues and family members have paid tributes online. Muhammad Abu Sharab, the nephew of counselor Muhammad Fahmi Al-Najjar, acknowledged the death of his uncle in a Facebook post that also alleged that the airstrike had killed all family members inside the home of Muhammad Fahmi Al-Najjar.

Dr. Ramy Abdu, a colleague of the deceased, posted on Facebook following the alleged airstrike. He paid tribute to his colleague Judge Habib Fahmi Al-Najjar (likely referring to the grandfather Fahmi Al-Najjar), Judge Fatima Khalil Al-Najjar (Al-Makhalati), and the heads of the lawyers’ bloc, their sons Muhammad Fahmi Al-Najjar and Firas Fahmi Al-Najjar, who were also killed during the incident. The Palestinian Bar Association Gaza also identified the grandfather of the family as “Counselor Judge Fahmi Al-Najjar”. At the time of his post, Dr Abdu reported that civil defense crews were still trying to recover the victims of the alleged airstrike.

These tributes often provide an insight into the personality of those killed. Dr Ola El-Najjar, the son of Judge Fahmi Muhammad al-Najjar, described his father as a man that embodied “compassion and generosity” and his mother – Fatima Khalil Al-Najjar – as a woman that “combined gentleness, tenderness, and love” for her children and grandchildren.

The post of Dr Ola El-Najjar provides insight into the family of the deceased. His brother, Muhammad Fahmy Al-Najjar and his sister-in-law Haneen Al-Najjar were killed alongside their six children during the incident. Muhammad was described as “the caring brother who is dutiful to his parents and sisters, and companion to his wife, known for his intense love for his children, his mercy toward those near and far, and his generosity with everyone, and my advisor in all my steps” and his wife Haneen as “a kind and generous person who had memorized the Qur’an”. Dr. Ola also described Fatima as named after her grandmother “so that she would remain Fatima in his eyes and heart”, and Yousef “with his beauty, who loved my daughter Shoshu and called her (Aunty Shoshu)”.

It is also revealed that his other brother, Firas Fahmy Al-Najjar and his wife Samah Al-Najjar, who were both engineers, were killed alongside their four children during the bombing. Dr Ola described his other brother Firas as “the beloved, close friend, righteous companion, and intelligent, sharp mind” and his wife Samah as “the wise engineer… and a girl of principles”. Their children were described as Fatima who “is similar to her mother in character”, Obaida “the beloved son of the beloved, with his white face that blushes at the slightest praise”, Yaman who would always hug his son Muhammad because of their love for football.

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.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (16)

Fahmi Muhammed Al Najjar فهمي محمد النجار
74 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 958596645
Fatima Khalil Al Najjar فاطمة خليل النجار
74 years old female Fahmi's wife killed Matched to MoH ID 903160554
Muhammad Fahmi Al-Najjar محمد فهمي النجار
41 years old male Fahmi and Fatima's child killed Matched to MoH ID 926703968
Haneen Al Najjar حنين النجار
34 years old female Muhammad Fahmi Al-Najjar's wife killed Matched to MoH ID 802438358
Firas Fahmi Al-Najjar فراس فهمي النجار
36 years old male Fahmi and Fatima's child killed Matched to MoH ID 801772898
Samah Al Najjar سماح النجار
30 years old female Firas Fahmi Al-Najjar's wife killed Matched to MoH ID 804024065
Fahmi Mohammed Al Najjar فهمي النجار
Child male Muhammad and Haneen's child killed
Omar Mohammed Al Najjar عمر النجار
14 years old male Muhammad and Haneen's child killed Matched to MoH ID 429037724
Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Najjar عبد الرحمن محمد النجار
13 years old male Muhammad and Haneen's child killed
Yousef Mohammed Al Najjar يوسف النجار
4 years old Muhammad and Haneen's child killed Matched to MoH ID 444446611
Anas Mohammed Al Najjar أنس النجار
3 years old male Muhammad and Haneen's child killed Matched to MoH ID 444983456
Fatima Mohammed Al Najjar فاطمة النجار
5 years old female Muhammad and Haneen's child killed Matched to MoH ID 444177778
Yaman Firas Al Najjar يمان النجار
5 years old male Firas's child killed Matched to MoH ID 440653442
Obaida Firas Al Najjar عبيدة النجار
7 years old male Firas's child killed Matched to MoH ID 437024565
Fatima Firas Al Najjar فاطمة النجار
10 years old female Firas's child killed Matched to MoH ID 426921649
Sara Firas Al Najjar سارة النجار
3 years old female Firas's child killed Matched to MoH ID 443249750

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Tal al Hawa (تل الهوا) to the west of Gaza city (غزة). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Tal al Hawa are: 31.498611, 34.4425.

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Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • (10 children3 women3 men)
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Abu Sharab
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Abu Sharab
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Abu Sharab
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Abu Sharab
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

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

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

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

    Source: Palestinian Bar Association Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Bar Association Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Bar Association Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Bar Association Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Bar Association Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Bar Association Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Bar Association Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmed Al-Kahlot
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @UnewsAgency1
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Ayat_Mohamed85
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Ayat_Mohamed85
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Jihane09876
  • 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
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • (10 children3 women3 men)
  • 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]