Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0498

Incident date

October 23, 2023

Location

محافظة دير البلح, Deir al Balah Governorate, Deir Al Balah, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.420319, 34.370157 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

During the early morning of October 23rd, 2023, at least 10 people were reportedly killed and a number of others wounded, as a result of an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Abu Dan family home in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

While most sources, including Al Jazeera, and the Gazan Ministry of the Interior and National Security, agreed that 10 civilians had been killed, Facebook user Ahmed al-Kurd said that 15 had died. While it is unknown whether those casualties were all a consequence of this strike, it is possible more casualties were later identified.

All of the identified casualties were members of the Abu Dan family. The matriarch of the family, 59-year old Jamlat Abu Dan was killed with her two sons, Mustafa Abu Dan and Mahmoud Abu Dan. Mustafa’s pregnant wife, 35-year-old Muna was killed, along with their children, 12-year-old Hala, Yousef and Taiseer. Mahmoud’s wife 31-year-old Maria was killed, along with their children (unnamed), as were Muhsen Abu Dan and Ahmad Mahmoud Abu Dan.

Images of the funeral circulated on social media. Muna Qahtani shared the photos to Facebook, showing an outside memorial, with men and boys in prayer over 13 body bags. Images of the bodies being lowered into a grave, and the grave being covered with metal sheets, were also shared.

Relatives and friends shared their grief online. Mona Barkat, a cousin of Jamlat, mourned the family and asked that “God accept them.” Mona further alleged that Muna was close to delivering her child: she was “pregnant and in a state of giving birth.”

Many memorials discussed Ahmad Abu Dan, who was buried with his finger raised. A finger pointing skyward can be used while reciting the Shahada, Islam’s first pillar, and relatives were keen to emphasise this. Bassam Sherif posted a more poetic post on Facebook about his cousin’s death, writing that while “raising his index finger, he breathed out his last breath, and his soul left his pure body.” In the burial photographs, his pointed finger can be seen through a deliberate hole in his body bag.

When sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to Israeli forces. Libyan News Agency specified that the strike occurred without warning.

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

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (10)

Muhsen Abu Dan محسن أبو دان
killed
Jamlat Abu Dan جملات أبو دان
59 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 905936092
Mustafa Abu Dan مصطفى أبو دان
killed
Mahmoud Abu Dan محمود أبو دان
killed
Muna منى
35 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 802003665
Hala Abu Dan حلا أبو دان
12 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 430616110
Yousef Abu Dan يوسف أبو دان
Taiseer Abu Dan تيسير أبو دان
Maria ماريا
31 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 804399582
Ahmad Mahmoud Abu Dan أحمد أبو دان
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Deir al Balah governorate (محافظة دير البلح), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.420319, 34.370157. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 15
  • (5 children3 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mona barkat

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad alkrd

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad alkrd

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad alkrd

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad alkrd

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad alkrd

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad alkrd

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad alkrd

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mai taiseer

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muna Qahtani

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muna Qahtani

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muna Qahtani

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Bassam sherif

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Bassam sherif

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shafik Radwan

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shafik Radwan

  • 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
    Residential building
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 15
  • (5 children3 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 (14) [ collapse]