Geolocation
Airwars assessment
At least one man was reportedly killed and a number of others were injured in a strike declared by the Israeli military on a tent for IDPs in a UNRWA school next to a government clinic in the city of Deir Al Balah in the Gaza Strip shortly before 1:36 AM on Thursday, 3 October 2024. The IDF announced the strike was carried out on “terrorist Abd Elaziz Zalha”.
The Palestinian news agency Safa was the first to report the incident at 1:36 AM, writing about “a martyr and a number of injuries.” While three Twitter/X posts referenced “a number of martyrs and people injured”, the majority of sources stated that one person was killed and a number of people were injured as a result of the strike.
Sources corroborated the name of the individual killed, identifying 40-year-old Abdul al-Aziz Muhammad Salha. In 2000, Salha was arrested and ultimately sentenced to four life sentences in prison for his involvement in the killing and mutilation of two Israeli reservist soldiers, Yosef (Yossi) Abrahami and Vadim Norzitz. A photo of Salha after the killings leaning out of a window with his hands stained with blood is one of the best known images of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Abd al-Aziz was released in the Shalit deal in 2006 and subsequently deported to Gaza, though some sources incorrectly noted that he had been released in 2011 in the “Wafa al-Ahrar” deal. A number of sources mentioned that Salha was originally from Deir Jarir in east Ramallah but had been deported to Gaza following his release from prison.
Abd al-Aziz’s death was widely reported on social media, with many posters resharing the photo.
On October 3, 2024, @idfonline, the Israel military’s Hebrew-language Twitter/X account, shared “Tonight, the IDF and the Shin Bet killed the terrorist Abd Elaziz Zalha in an airstrike in Deir al-Balah in the center of the Gaza Strip.” In a thread tied to the original post, @idfonline added “The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to eliminate and pursue past and present Hamas terrorists and anyone who threatens the citizens of the State of Israel.” As Airwars was unable to find information pointing to Abd al-Aziz having active membership in a militant group at the time of the strike, he has been recorded as having “contested” civilian status. This will be updated should additional information become available.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Deir Al Balah Primary School for Boys (مدرسة ذكور دير البلح الابتدائية أ) in Deir Al Balah (دير البلح), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.424167, 34.338056. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (52) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (45) [ collapse]
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Source: @7_October2023 -
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Source: Omar Omar -
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Source: Jalazone Media Center -
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Source: Mohammed Ismail Al Hadad -
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Source: Bil'in -
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Source: Etha’at Al Jazyer Al dawlia -
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Source: Al Hadath Palestine -
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Source: Alarabiya Palestine -
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Source: Al sahfi Moueen Shaded -
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Source: Alaam Rawateb Al Mozafeen -
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Source: Hanaa Mahmoud -
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Source: Hanaa Mahmoud -
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Source: Al Madhoun Mohammed Mohammed -
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Source: Al Horia news -
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Source: Al Horia news -
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Source: @idf -
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Source: @StopAntisemites -
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Source: @HamasAtrocities -
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Source: @HamasAtrocities -
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Source: @SuppressedNws -
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Source: Reuters News -
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Source: The Times of Israel News -
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Source: The Times of Israel News -
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Source: The Times of Israel News -
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Source: The Times of Israel News -
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Assessment:
Original strike reports
The IDF and Shin Bet killed terrorist Abd al-Aziz Saleha last night in an airstrike in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
Salha participated in the brutal lynching in Ramallah in 2000 in which the reserve soldiers, Lt. Col. (res.) Yosef (Yossi) Avrahami, the late, and Corporal (res.) Vadim Norzic, the late, were murdered.