Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0459

Incident date

October 22, 2023

Location

مخيم البريج, Bureij camp, Deir Al Balah, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.437934, 34.403857 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On Sunday, October 22nd 2023, a number of civilians were reportedly injured and killed, including a 24-year-old civilian named Salama Muhammad al-Owaidat, when an alleged Israeli airstrike hit the Abu Helou house located at Al-Awadhi junction of Block 7 in the Bureij Camp in the Gaza Strip. The precise number of victims remains unknown, and only one victim has been identified.

Facebook user Muhammad Abd mourned the death of his friend on social media. The comment read, “The eyes shed tears and the heart grieves over your departure, O Salama. God is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs. May God accept you in the world. The martyr Salama Muhammad Al-Owaidat.” In a photo, shared alongside the comment, Salama Muhammad Al-Owaidat is depicted in a light blue blazer, shirt and jeans smiling warmly toward the camera.

Several news outlets and journalists, including Shehab Agency and East Now, reported that there were injured and a number killed due to the aircraft bombing at the Al-Awadhi junction in Al-Bureij Camp. However, there is no further detail on the additional victims killed or on the number of wounded.

Shortly after the incident appeals were made by social media users and journalists for ambulances to go to Al-Bureij camp. Facebook user Read Sharab, quoting a Quds News correspondent, posted that “appeals for ambulances to go to Block 7 in Bureij camp” were being made.

Where possible, names have been reconciled with published Palestinian Ministry of Health lists. With thanks to journalist Alexandre Horn from CheckNews for identifying relevant sources, and Data Tech for Palestine for centralising the datasets.

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Salama Muhammad al-Owaidat سلامة محمد العويدات
24 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 804677945

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Block 7 being struck in the vicinity of Al Awadhi junction (مفترق العوضي), allegedly located within Bureij camp (مخيم البريج). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Bureij camp are: 31.437934, 34.403857.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp, Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Abd
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Al-Bureij official page

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
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]