Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0287

Incident date

October 17, 2023

Location

الصفطاوي, Al Saftawi, North Gaza, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.539895, 34.473281 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, an Israeli airstrike reportedly hit the Baalousha family home in the Al-Saftawi neighborhood of Gaza City. According to available information, between 15 and 16 civilians from two families were killed, including Muhammad Baalousha, a journalist employed by Palestine Today. Media reports, including Anadolu Agency, cited an unspecified number of civilians who were purportedly wounded. A source, Belall Daqqa, reported that the incident took place at dawn.

Reporting on this event on X, Shehab Agency stated, “Journalist at Palestine Today Channel/Gaza Bureau, colleague Muhammad Baalousha (Abu Jamil), was killed in a treacherous bombing that targeted him and his family last night in the Al-Saftawi neighborhood, north of Gaza City.”

In a post on the Palestine Today website, Palestine Today reported the death of Muhammad Baalousha and described him as a journalist as well as an administrative and financial director for the organization.

The victims were identified by multiple sources posting on Facebook, including a family member called Ahmed Baalousha, as 62-year-old Jamil Muhammad Baalousha (Abu Muhammad Baalousha) who was killed alongside his wife, 60-year-old Hoda Ismail Baalousha, their daughter, 34-year-old Pharmacist Dr Iman Jamil Muhammad Baalousha, and their sons, the journalist, 36-year-old Muhammad Jamil Muhammad Baalousha, and 31-year-old Ayman Muhammad Jamil Baalousha. Ayman Muhammad Jamil Baalousha’s wife, 30-year-old Heba Saeed Baalousha, was also killed alongside their daughters eight-year-old Hoda Ayman Baalousha, and five-year-old Kinda Ayman Baalousha, and son, four-year-old Jamil Ayman Baalousha. Muhammad Baalousha’s daughter, 11-year-old Layan Muhammad Baalousha, was also reported as killed and his other daughter, 13-year-old Tala Muhammed Baalousha, was reported as injured by a facebook user, Osama Ismail, however two Facebook posts from MA almaddah and Ahmed Baalousha reported her as having been killed.

Members of a second family were also reportedly killed during this incident. According to currently available information, this included 74-year-old Muhammed Almahlawy, also known as Abu Salah Almahlawy, alongside his son Salah Almahlawy and grandsons 26-year-old Hassan Almahlawy, and 29-year-old Muhammad Almahlawy. 19-year-old Majid Majid Ka’bar was reported as killed in this incident as well and family members made heartfelt tributes to him in online posts. All three men were described in a post by Ismael Z. Almahallawi as Ismael’s cousins.

Posting on Facebook a user named Hussien Isleem, stated, “Abu Muhammad Baalousha, was bombarded. As a result, he and his wife, the moral teacher, the martyr Hoda Hamada, and his son, the journalist who was a Qur’an who walked on the ground, Muhammad Baalousha (Abu Jamil), were martyred. His son, Ayman Baalousha, his wife and 3 children, and his daughter, Dr. Iman Baalousha…. Our neighbors joined them: Abu Salah al-Mahlawi, his son Salah, and his two grandsons Hassan and Muhammad.”

Anadolu Agency reported that, according to eyewitnesses, the incident left many others injured.

A facebook user called Shahd Abu Salma made a tribute to Hoda Ismail Baalousha in a post, saying she had been his primary school teacher and that their families had “joined together in thick and thin”.

Following this incident, journalist Amr Tabash posted numerous photographs on Facebook showing a crowd assembled in proximity to what appears to be a heavily damaged residential building. Posting on X, the Palestinian Information Center shared three photographs showing a crowd gathered around Muhammad Baalousha’s body. Another image of his funeral showed his body dressed in a press bullet-proof vest with a press helmet and wrapped in white funeral shroud.

The Guardian reported Muhammed Baalousha’s death and claimed, by October 17, Muhammed was the 12th journalist to have been reportedly killed by an Israeli airstrike.

UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, made a statement on October 30, 2023, stating “I deplore the death of Mohammad Balousha. I reiterate my call for the respect of the UN Security Council Resolution 2222/2015 on the protection of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians in situations of conflict and call for a full independent investigation into the circumstances of his death.”

Multiple sources, including a family member called Ahmed Baalousha, reported the ages of the victims from the Baalousha family as listed above. However their names could not be matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of names of fatalities published on October 26, 2023. Hassan and Muhammed Almahlawy and Majid Ka’bar were matched with the MoH list and their ages were confirmed.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces. A post from Shahd abu salma reported that the incident took place without warning.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (11)

Jamil Muhammad Hassan Baalousha جميل محمد حسن بعلوشة
62 years old male killed
Hoda Ismail Baalousha هدى اسماعيل بعلوشة
60 years old female killed
Iman Jamil Muhammad Baalousha ايمان جميل محمد بعلوشة
34 years old female killed
Muhammad Jamil Muhammad Baalousha محمد جميل محمد بعلوشة
36 years old male killed
Ayman Muhammad Jamil Baalousha أيمن محمد جميل بعلوشة
31 years old male killed
Heba Saeed Baalousha هبة سعيد بعلوشة
30 years old female killed
Layan Muhammad Baalousha ليان محمد بعلوشة
11 years old female killed
Hoda Ayman Baalousha هدى ايمن بعلوشة
8 years old female killed
Kinda Ayman Baalousha كنده أيمن بعلوشة
5 years old female killed
Jamil Ayman Baalousha جميل أيمن بعلوشة
4 years old male killed
Tala Muhammad Baalousha تالا محمد بعلوشة
13 years old female

Family members (5)

Muhammed Almahlawy محمد المحلاوي
74 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 911236537
Salah Almahlawy صلاح المحلاوي
male killed
Hassan Almahlawy حسن المحلاوي
26 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 402526560
Muhammad Almahlawy محمد المحلاوي
29 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 400142121
Majid Majid Kaabr ماجد ماجد كعبر
19 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 420422594

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Saftawi (الصفطاوي) to the west of Jabalia (جباليا). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Al Saftawi are: 31.539895, 34.473281.

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Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 16
  • (4–5 children3 women8 men1 journalist)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • 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 (43) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (41) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

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

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

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

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

    Source: E3lam news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

    Source: Basma alfarra
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Osama ismail
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Osama ismail
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

    Source: Jamal al malawi
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Jamal al malawi
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

    Source: Ismael Z
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ismael Z
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Misoun abu daher
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu muen radwan
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu muen radwan
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu muen radwan
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Amro tapsh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Anadolu Agency News
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

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

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

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  • 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
    15 – 16
  • (4–5 children3 women8 men1 journalist)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • 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 (43) [ collapse]