Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0453

Incident date

October 22, 2023

Location

رفح, Rafah, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.296854, 34.243508 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the morning of Sunday, October 22nd 2023, an alleged Israeli bombardment hit Salah Mohammed Kurdieh’s house located west of the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 12 identified civilians, including five women and four children, and injuring at least two civilians.

Although there was only scarce information about the circumstances of the incident, the social media tributes by family relatives and friends, including Nahed Shawa, Adel Majid Kurdiya and others, helped to identify names of the victims.

A 59-year-old Salah Mohammed Fahmi Kurdieh was killed alongside his 55-year-old wife Nadia Faruq Muhammad (Kurdieh) Anan, their 20-year-old son Hamza Salah Kurdieh, their two daughters – a 30-year-old Aya Salah Kurdieh and a 25-year-old  Alaa Salah Kurdieh, their daughter-in-law, a 31-year-old wife of Ahmad Huda Samir Mahmoud Kurdieh, and their grandchildren  – a 14-year-old Salah Ahmed Kurdieh, a 12-year-old Nadia Ahmed Kurdieh, and a one-year-old Maria Ahmed Kurdieh.

Also Salah Mohammed Kurdieh’s father-in-law, Nadia’s father, a 87-year-old Farouk Mohammed Buker Anan (Abu Yasser) and his mother-in-law, 73-year-old Nadia’s mother Suad Mohammad Mohammad Anan (Umm Yasser) were among the victims killed in the strike. Mahmoud M. Kurdieh’s Facebook post did not list Abu Yasser Anan and Umm Yasser Anan’s names among the list of civilian casualties, although all other Airwars’ sources named them. He also reported that the strike occurred in the morning.

A 9-year-old girl named Zeina Ahmed Kurdieh, granddaughter of Salah Mohamed Kurdieh and Nadia Anan, was reported missing by the local sources, but, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023, she was found dead.

Two sons of Salah and Nadia, Anas Salah Kurdieh and Ahmad Salah Kurdieh, were injured and hospitalized in moderate condition after the strike. Based on the ages of their siblings, both have been counted as men.

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

When sources identified the belligerent, all the sources attributed the strike to Israeli forces.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (14)

Salah Mohammed Fahmi Kurdieh صلاح محمد كرديه
59 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 966578486
Nadia Faruq Muhammad (Kurdieh) Anan ناديا عنان
55 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 906471339
Hamza Salah Muhammad Kurdieh حمزة صلاح كرديه
20 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 408151991
Aya Salah Muhammad Kurdieh اية صلاح كرديه
30 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 400207536
Alaa Salah Kurdieh الاء صلاح كرديه
25 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 404323636
Anas Salah Kurdieh, انس صلاح كرديه
Adult male injured
Ahmad Salah Kurdieh كرديه احمد صلاح
Adult male injured
Huda Samir Mahmoud Kurdieh هدى زوجة احمد
31 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 803835008
Salah Ahmed Salah Kurdieh صلاح احمد كرديه
14 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 429273576
Nadia Ahmed Salah Kurdieh ناديا احمد كرديه
12 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 431656636
Maria Ahmed Salah Kurdieh ماريا احمد كرديه
1 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 444174445
Zeina Ahmed Salah Kurdieh زينة احمد كرديه
9 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 435091798
Farouk Mohammed Buker Anan (Abu Yasser) ابو ياسر عنان
87 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 906471313
Suad Mohammad Mohammad Anan (Umm Yasser ام ياسر عنان
73 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 906471321

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Rafah (رفح), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.296854, 34.243508. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • (4 children5 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • (4 children5 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]