Incident Code

ISPT0440

Location

النصيرات, Nuseirat, Deir Al Balah, Palestinian territories

Geolocation

31.450065, 34.392934
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

During the morning of Saturday October 21st 2023, an alleged Israeli airstrike killed at least four civilians and wounded numerous others, after the bombardment hit the Abu Marahil residence on al-Eshreen Street, in the Nuseirat camp, central-west of the Gaza Strip.

The deceased were members of the Abu Marahil family: 64-year old Issa Suleiman Abu Marahil was killed, as was 53-year old Iman Salama Abu Marahil. Iman was killed with her son, 23-year old Ahmed Hussein Suleiman Abu Marahil and his wife, Duha Samir Al Haj Abu Marahil.

The four deceased were confirmed by multiple local news outlets on Twitter/X, such as @F24online, @refugeesps and @palestine_graph. Each further reported that the airstrike also caused injuries to civilians who could be trapped under the rubble of the Abu Marahi family home, but did not provide a number of injuries.

An outpouring of grief from the victims’ friends and extended family were expressed on social media. Facebook user Yasser Youssef remembered Issa Abu Marahil as a “sports captain” who was “one of the cadres of Ahly Nuseirat Club.” A photo attached shows Issa in a baseball cap and sports jacket. The Facebook page of Nuseirat Camp further remembered him as a “kind-hearted Hajj”, attaching a picture of him in a black three-piece suit.

Facebook user Oday expressed their pain in a Facebook post and posted a picture of Issa Suleiman Abu Marahil (Abu Abdullah) dressed in black, smiling at the camera. A picture of his son Ahmed Hussein Suleiman Abu Marahil was posted alongside it, depicting the young man in a home, smiling brightly at the camera. Ahmed Hussein Suleiman’s wife Duha Samir Al Haj Abu Marahil and his mother Iman Salama Abu Marahil were also remembered in a Facebook post by Tarek.

It is unclear how many others were injured in the strike. Facebook user Khaled Abu Marahil Abu Abdullah reported that “the whole family is under the rubble.” It is unknown whether the deceased were uncovered from collapsed buildings, or how many others remained.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces.

Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023.

Victims

Family members (4)

Issa Suleiman Abu Marahil عيسى سليمان أبو مراحيل
64 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 942230236
Ahmed Hussein Suleiman Abu Marahil أحمد حسين سليمان أبو
23 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 405839309
Duha Samir Al Haj Abu Marahil ضحى سمير الحاج أبو مراحيل
female killed
Iman Salama Abu Marahil إيمان سلامة أبو مراحيل
53 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 410542807

Key Information

Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike
Strike Status
Likely strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
4
2 Women, 2 Men
Civilians reported injured
2

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Nuseirat (النصيرات), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.450065, 34.392934. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Israeli Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Israeli Military
Israeli Military position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (7)