On October 21st 2023, it was reported that an unknown number of children were injured after an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Sobh family home near the market area of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Although sources illustrated that children were injured, sources do not refer to any civilians killed in this incident. Based on images, Airwars has quantified at least seven injuries of children.

Sources spoke to the mental impact the strike had on the children, with Twitter/X user @SafaaALssaedy referencing a video that showed a young boy, mentioned as belonging to the Sobh family, “trembl[ing] with fear.” Nabd News also included this video, showing two boys, both distraught, receiving medical care after reportedly being taken to hospital following the strike.

Multiple sources posted videos and pictures of a young girl in a matching butterfly vest and trousers. In a video shared by Twitter/X user Khaled Iskef, she is being carried away from the site of the alleged airstrike on a stretcher with another young child, and has significant injuries to her face and head. The same video shows multiple children being carried away from the destruction. In a later video shared by @KimJongWins, this girl is lying on a bed, presumably at a health facility, and crying.

The second young child seen being carried on the stretcher is photographed being held by an adult in a post by Shehab Agency; it appeared they were seeking medical attention.

Shehab Agency posted a photo of what looks like medical assistance vehicles parked up at the site of the alleged strike. In the background there are a number of onlookers; in the foreground there are children standing without shoes and socks on. One toddler is being cradled by an older boy. There are seven children in the picture which includes the young toddler who was carried off on the stretcher.

Bisan Owda, a Gaza-based reporter who has come to international prominence, posted a video with a young girl who she named as Sham Sobh, and identified her as a survivor of the strike. Sham appeared with shrapnel cuts to her face, and seemed confused and numbed after her experience. Bisan stated that 35 members of Sham’s family had been killed, but given that none of the sources describing this incident mentioned these additional deaths, these family members were likely in other incidents.

Beyond Sham, there were no names included within reporting.

Multiple sources mention that the strike occurred on the market area of Beit Lahia.

The imagery included within the sources suggest that the strike took place during the daytime. Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces.