During the night of Tuesday, October 24th 2023, at least 36 identified civilians, including 20 children and eight women, were killed and dozens were injured during an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Abu Qeshta (Qashata) and Al-Maghari family homes located on Al-Salat Street in the El Geneina neighbourhood of Rafah city in the Gaza Strip. It was reported that these houses were situated next to a school that hosted displaced people.

Two sources listed the names of those who were reportedly killed in the alleged strike, the majority of whom were from the Qeshta family. Facebook user Jehad Keshta named 22 victims, but emphasized that at least 30 had died. He included a picture of a large number of body bags laid on the floor, some being children.

Dalia Keshta also posted a list of those reportedly killed in the alleged strike. His list included 23 names. However, he stated that at the time of posting the civil defense was still searching for missing persons under the rubble, therefore it is likely there were more people killed as a result of the reported strike.

Based on those lists on social media and on the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023, Airwars was able to identify the names of 36 victims of the deadly strike, including 20 children.

65-year-old Haji Saadi Hafez Qeshta “Abu Talaat” was killed alongside his son, 31-year-old Jaber Saadi Hafez Qeshta, and his daughter, 43-year-old Ibtihaj Saadi Hafez Qeshta. Mosa Ryan posted that their brother and friend Hajj Saadi Qeshta had been killed in the reported strike along with a group of family members. Accompanied is a picture of two men taken at a celebration, smiling at the camera. Mohammed Sager posted a picture of Jaber Qeshta. He was pictured with his thumbs up looking at the camera. In another post, he is pictured with a parrot on his shoulder. Multiple sources posted prayers of loss.

33-year-old Samed Muhammad Abdel Raouf Qeshta was killed alongside his children: three sons –  Iyad Samed Muhammad Qeshta, four-year-old Muhammad Samed Muhammad Qeshta, and seven-year-old Zain Samed Muhammad Qeshta, and a daughter, 10-year-old Zeinah Samid Muhammad Qeshta. 

A brother of Samed, 38-year-old Ramez Muhammad Abdel Raouf Qeshta was killed alongside his three children: ten-year-old boy Imad Ramez Muhammad Qeshta, 11-year-old girl Janna Ramez Muhammad Qeshta, and three-year-old boy Yazan Ramez Muhammad Qeshta.

In one more set of siblings, 17-year-old boy Amir Muhammad Saadi Qeshta was killed alongside his 10-year-old brother Moamen Muhammad Saadi Qeshta, his 12-year-old brother Saadi Muhammad Saadi Qeshta, and 14-year-old sister Amirah Muhammad Saadi Qeshta. 

44-year-old Iyad Muhammad Abdel Raouf Qeshta was killed alongside his 14-year-old son Bara Iyad Muhammad Qeshta, 11-year-old son Muhammad Iyad Muhammad Qeshta, and 15-year-old daughter Lima (Lama) Iyad Muhammad Qeshta.

Dalia Asfour (age unknown) was killed alongside her four sons: 10-year-old son Hamdi Shadi Hamdi Asfour, six-year-old son Adam Shadi Hamdi Asfour, 11-year-old daughter Aya Shadi Hamdi Asfour, and 13-year-old son Ahmed Shadi Hamdi Asfour. 

Victims also included 22-year-old woman Lina Khaled Nafez Qeshta, 15-year-old girl Layan Nazmi Muhammad Qeshta, 33-year-old woman Ibtisam Naji Shehada Qeshta (Abu Daqqa), 20-year-old woman Dunia Muhammad Mustafa Qeshta, 65-year-old woman Khaderaah Ragheb Qeshta, 37-year-old woman Hala Omar Qeshta (Awaja), 67-year-old man Nazmi Shafiq Muhammad Al-Maghari, and 23-year-old man Imad Khaled Muhammad Al-Khatib.

Among the victims were also a child Farah Suleiman Raed Abu Shabab, a woman Khadija Al-Nems, and a man Fahd Adi Muhammad whose ages are unknown.

A video posted on Facebook showed many people trying to get the bodies of those affected by the strike to medical assistance. It appears that the strike took place at night, with the lights of the medical ambulances pictured illuminating the way for those trying to help. Some people were also pictured wearing head torches while another person is lifted onto a stretcher.

Mohammad Saleem abu Altos posted a description of the incident. He described how the residential building belonging to his neighbour Abu Jaber Qeshta was targeted with a missile with enormous destructive force, which reportedly led to the destruction of the house. According to his post, the house was inhabited by dozens of women, and children. He added that the adjacent house owned by the Al-Maghari was also impacted by the alleged strike. There was one member of the Al-Maghari family named as a casualty of this strike – Nazmi Shafiq Muhammad Al-Maghari.

Rahma Hasan posted a picture titled “The Qeshta family’s house on Al-Salat street”, the image was taken at night time and appears to be close to when the alleged strike took place. Multiple men in high visibility vests can be seen, assumed to be medical or rescue personnel. The side of a house has fallen down and the house which is assumed to stand next to was completely reduced to rubble. According to previous sources, this may be the Qeshta family house and the Al-Maghari which was also impacted by the reported strike.

The Rafah city official page shows better pictures of the extent of the damage, there is a large group of people under the partially standing house, assumed to be looking to those lost in the alleged strike. It is clear one house has been reduced to rubble and two appear to be damaged next to it.

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

The incident occured during the night.