Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0456

Incident date

October 22, 2023

Location

منزل عائلتيّ جابر وأبو القمصان في منطقة العلمي شمال قطاع غزة, the home of Jaber and Abu Al-Qumsan families in the Al-Alami area in the northern Gaza Strip, North Gaza, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

On 22nd October 2023, at least 20 people were killed, 19 of them women and children, and at least 7 others were injured after the home of the Jaber and Abu Al-Qumsan families in the Al-Alami area in the northern Gaza Strip was allegedly struck by an Israeli airstrike.

Mahmoud Hegazy posted the names of 19 members of his family who were reportedly killed in the airstrike. He explained that included in those killed was his dear grandmother Amina Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan (Umm Fayek), and he included in the post a picture of his grandmother Amina smiling at the camera wearing a patterned headscarf. In a separate post by Muhammad Ibn Sheikh Ismail she is referred to as the mother of martyrs and a post by Maher Al Hijazi explains that three of her sons were killed previously: “Ismail Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan, “who died on 12/30/2001,” and the martyr, the leader: Youssef Ahmed Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan, who died on: 11/3/2002” and the martyr leader: Faiq Ahmad Ahmad Abu Al-Qumsan, “who died on: 11/23/2006” [and his son, the martyr Fayez, “who rose on: 12/27/2008].”

Mahmoud Hegazy goes on to add that his uncle’s wife Iman Darwish Abu Al-Qumsan (50) and her four children (Mahmoud’s four cousins) Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan and his sisters Alaa Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan (34), Nour Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan (27) and Walaa Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan (28) were killed. Two other daughters (based on their names), Amina Youssef Ahmad Abu Al-Qumsan and Fatima Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan, were injured in the strike.

Mahmoud’s cousin Ahmed’s wife, Aya Adnan Abu Al-Qumsan (30) and their four children Youssef Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan (9), Obada Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan (6), Iman Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan and Yasmine Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan (11) were also killed in the alleged airstrike and their daughter Hor Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan was injured.

Mahmoud also reported that his uncle’s daughter Samoud Fayek Abu Al-Qumsan (19) and his cousin’s daughter Imad Ismail Abu Al-Qumsan were also killed in the alleged strike.

He added that another cousin, the son of Walaa Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan, named Ezz El-Din Abdel Ezz El-Din Hegazy (Abu Al-Qumsan) was also killed along with the children of Amina Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan (who was injured) Osama Muhammad Osama Muhanna (8) and Youssef Muhammad Osama Muhanna. Amina Youssef’s husband (and the father of Osama and Youssef) named Muhammad Osama Muhanna was injured along with Amina and Muhammad’s daughter Reem Muhammad Osama Muhanna.

Finally he added the children of Alaa Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan – Fayeq Thaer Abu Al-Qumsan, Fayez Thaer Abu Al-Qumsan (8) and Youssef Thaer Abu Al-Qumsan (6) – were also killed in the alleged airstrike. Based on their names, likely their sibling Selin Thaer Fayeq Abu Al-Qumsan was reported as injured.

A post from Muhammad Ibn Sheikh Ismail also identified Ghazal Imad Ismail Abu Al-Qumsan (3), “granddaughter of the martyr Sheikh and Commander Ismail Abu Al-Qumsan,” as among those killed. Sources suggested Ismail Abu Al-Qumsan was killed by Israeli forces during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, in the early 2000s. It appeared he had been a militant, though that was not confirmed.

Shehab Agency tweeted a video of a young girl in a medical facility named Sirine Abu Al-Qumsam who has been injured in the reported strike and is describing to the camera what happened, clearly in distress with injuries to her face.

Initial reports stated that 5 people were killed and 15 injured in the airstrike, and that they were taken to Kamal Adwan Hospital. The Ministry of Interior then reported that 11 people has been killed and a post from Enjoy English put the number of killed at 16.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health posted that the little girl Hor Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan was in the Al-Shifa Medical Complex for treatment of her injuries, and the picture of her shows injury to the side of her face and she is dressed in bright clothes. The post added that she had miraculously survived the alleged airstrike, and that she was the only survivor in her family.

The Palestine Civil Defense posted images of the Civil Defense rescuing the injured from the rubble of the two houses reportedly hit in this airstrike, and one image shed that they are using a digger to get under the rubble because of the scale of damage. The civil defense workers are pictured looking for people in the dark space under the collapsed building. The Palestinian Ministry of Interior added that medical services crew were at the scene, accompanied with pictures, and it is clear from one that a building has been reduced to rubble illustrating that the whole walls have collapsed.

Where possible, Airwars has matched names with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of nearly 7000 victims’ names and ID numbers released on October 26th.

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (22)

Amina Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan امنة يوسف أبو القمصان
Adult female killed
Iman Darwish Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan ايمان درويش احمد ابو القمصان
50 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 935247817
Alaa Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan الاء يوسف احمد ابو القمصان
34 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 802282335
Fayez Thaer Fayek Abu Al-Qumsan فايز ثائر فائق أبو القمصان
8 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 436039812
Fayeq Thaer Abu Al-Qumsan فايق ثائر أبو القمصان
Child killed
Youssef Thaer Fayek Abu Al-Qumsan يوسف ثائر فائق أبو القمصان
6 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 439059296
Walaa Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan ولاء يوسف احمد ابو القمصان
28 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 400777041
Nour Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan نور يوسف احمد ابو القمصان
27 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 402046734
Ahmed Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan احمد يوسف احمد ابو القمصان
Adult male killed
Aya Adnan Abu Al-Qumsan اية عدنان أبو القمصان
30 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 804346518
Iman Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan ايمان احمد يوسف ابو القمصان
Child female killed
Yasmine Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan ياسمين احمد يوسف ابو القمصان
11 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 432156644
Youssef Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan يوسف احمد يوسف ابو القمصان
9 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 440023349
Obadah Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan عبادة احمد يوسف ابو القمصان
6 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 438244766
Somod Fayek Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan صمود فايق احمد ابو القمصان
19 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 420441362
Ghazal Imad Ismail Abu Al-Qumsan غزل عماد إسماعيل أبو القمصان
3 years old female killed
Ezz El-Din Abdel Ezz El-Din Hegazy (Abu Al-Qumsan) عز الدين عبد العز الدين حجازي ابو القمصان
Child male killed
Selin Thaer Fayek Abu Al-Qumsan سيلين ثائر فائق ابو القمصان
Child female injured
Amna Youssef Ahmad Abu Al-Qumsan امنة يوسف احمد أبو القمصان
Adult female injured
Hor Ahmed Youssef Abu Al-Qumsan حور احمد يوسف ابو القمصان
Child female injured
Fatima Youssef Ahmed Abu Al-Qumsan فاطمة يوسف احمد ابو القمصان
female injured
Sirine Abu Al-Qumsan سيرين ابو القمصان
Child female injured

Family members (4)

Osama Muhammad Osama Muhanna اسامة محمد أسامة مهنا
8 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 435917786
Youssef Muhammad Osama Muhanna يوسف محمد اسامة مهنا
Child male killed
Muhammad Osama Muhanna محمد أسامة مهنا
Adult male injured
Reem Muhammad Osama Muhanna ريم محمد اسامة مهنا
Child female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp, Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20
  • (12 children7 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–15
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (28) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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

    Source: Palestinian Civil Defense
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Civil Defense
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Civil Defense
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Civil Defense
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Ministry of Interior
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Ministry of Interior
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Ministry of Interior
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Ministry of Interior
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Ministry of Interior
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Ministry of Interior
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Ministry of Interior
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestinian Ministry of Health/Gaza
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mahmoud Hegazy
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mahmoud Hegazy
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Ibn Sheikh Ismail
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Ibn Sheikh Ismail
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Ibn Sheikh Ismail
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Ibn Sheikh Ismail
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @abeersami112
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @abeersami112
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @abeersami112
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @abeersami112
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Kmaa21
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @klaib94
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • 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
    IDP or refugee camp, Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20
  • (12 children7 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–15
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]