In the early hours of Wednesday, October 25, 2023, an Israeli airstrike allegedly hit the home of 42-year-old Al-Aqsa Media Network journalist Saed Samir Mahmoud al-Halabi, killing him and at least 20 members of his family, including five women and six children, injuring up to 19 civilians, including an infant, and reducing his family home to rubble. The reported attack took place on Al-Hoja Street in the Al-Halabi area of the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

The alleged airstrike was initially reported on X by the Palestine Dialogue Network (@paldf), which stated that two people, including a child, were killed, and 17 others were admitted to hospitals in northern Gaza with injuries. The Shehab Agency (@ShehabAgency) would later set the toll to five deaths and 19 injured, although it remains unclear how many of these injuries ultimately resulted in fatalities. Hours later, the same source confirmed the death of a “colleague in Al-Aqsa Media Network”, Saed al-Halabi.

Taking into account messages from relatives and friends of the victims posted on social media, Airwars estimated a death toll of at least 20.  Although it has not been possible to identify all the victims, videos and photos from that day showed the bodies of at least two deceased children, along with two others who appeared to be in critical condition, including a baby.

The journalist Saed Samir Mahmoud al-Halabi (Abu Abdul Rahman) was killed along with his infant granddaughter, Musk Abdul Hai Sami al-Halabi, a daughter of Abdul Hai (Abu Anas) al-Halabi.

Saed Al-Halabi’s uncle, 57-year-old Tayseer Mahmoud Halil al-Halabi (Abu Mahmoud), was killed along with his four sons, 30-year-old Muhammad Tayseer Mahmoud al-Halabi, 27-year-old Ahmed Tayseer Mahmoud al-Halabi, 22-year-old Abdul Qadir Tayseer Mahmoud al-Halabi and 32-year-old Mahmoud Tayseer Mahmoud al-Halabi (Abu Anas).

Muhammad’s wife, seven-year-old son Anas Mahmoud Tayseer al-Halabi, and 11-year-old daughter Aseel Mahmoud Tayseer al-Halabi were also killed.

According to the post by Ahmed Samir al-Halabi, Abdul Qadir’s wife, his two sons and a daughter were injured.

Saed al-Halabi’s aunt, 55-year-old Souad Taufiq Taha al-Halabi (Umm Muhammad), was killed along with her eldest son, 31-year-old Muhammad Sami Mahmoud al-Halabi, her daughter-in-law, Amal al-Safadi (possibly 30-year-old Amal Khader al-Halabi) and their three daughters – eight-year-old daughter Suad Muhammad Sami al-Halabi, six-year-old Joarie Muhammad Sami al-Halabi and seven-year-old Nagam Muhammad Sami al-Halabi.

According to the Facebook post by Esraa S Elhalabi, Souad al-Halabi’s daughter and sister of Muhammad, Asma Sami al-Halabi was also allegedly killed along with her adult daughter Yara al-Safadi and her infant niece Musk al-Halabi.

Where possible, the ages of victims have been found by cross-checking names against lists of fatalities shared online by Shireen Monitor, an organisation that has a list of “Martyrs of Palestine” from 2023 onward.

Airwars researchers found one further name of a civilian that may have been killed in this incident in the records of Shireen Monitor: 30-year-old Alaa Mohammed Mahmoud al-Halabi was reported as killed on 25/10/2023. While they are from the same family as the victims, it was not explicitly mentioned anywhere that they were killed in this strike. The location mentioned was not specific enough to allow Airwars to confidently link the name to this incident, and as such they will not be included in the victims list, though this will be updated should more information emerge.

Shortly after the alleged attack, several press organizations, including the Shehab Agency, Nabd and Al Aqsa Radio, expressed their condolences over the death of Saed al-Halabi, some noting that other journalists were also killed that same day. According to the International Federation of Journalists, independent journalist Salma Mukhayam was killed on the 25th of October, along with Al Aqsa TV journalist Ahmed Abu Mahadi and Zaher al-Afghani, who worked for the Mithaq Media Network. This source alerted that by that time, 21 journalists and media workers had been killed in Gaza. The IFJ has since set this toll at at least 152.

On November 7th, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay “deplored” the death of Saed al-Halabi and called for a “full, independent investigation into the circumstances” of the journalist’s death as well as the “respect of UN Security Council Resolution 2222/2015 on the protection of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians in situations of conflict”.

Relatives of the victims expressed their condolences on several Facebook posts. “I console myself with the martyrdom of most of my family as a result of the bombing of the house on their heads while they were sleeping”, wrote Esraa S Elhalabi, who went on with a farewell message for 17 of her loved ones, including her mother, Souad al-Halabi, her brother, Muhammad Sami al-Halabi and sister Asma Sami al-Halabi, her sister’s daughter and her niece. “O Lord, give me patience and strengthen my heart. I have lost my loved ones and the most precious people to my heart”, she continued, before wishing her sister, Fatima Sami, a “speedy recovery”.

Facebook user Ismail Albatrookh offered his condolences to his “lineage”, and shared photos of the bodies of his relatives, covered in white sheets. In one of the photos, the sheets were removed from the faces of two girls who appeared to be under ten years old. “We will meet in heaven”, he wrote.

In his farewell post, Ahmed Samir al-Halabi – Saed al-Halabi’s brother– posted a photo of himself in a visible state of shock, kneeling in front of the body of one of his relatives, and lamented the death of his “martyr” brother and his eldest daughter, Musk. Imad Abu Hamza also honoured his “colleague, and dear to the heart” friend, Saed Al-Halabi, by sharing a photo of Saed, with a grey polo shirt, sitting at his desk, smiling.

User Iman Abd posted a video montage of Muhammad Sami al-Halabi’s funeral, showing several deeply emotional relatives accompanying him through his last moments. Muhammad Sami’s cousin, Tawfiq Halabi, shared a photo of himself embracing Muhammad, who was wearing a white shirt and dark pants, looking proudly at the camera. In a different post, Ahed Abu Mohammed Jalhoum shared a selfie of Muhammad Sami and a photo of his cousin, Mahmoud Tayseer Al-Halabi, wearing a black cap, with a serious expression. “The heart is squeezed with sadness”, he lamented.

According to his Facebook profile, Muhammad Sami al-Halabi studied at the Ummah Open Education University. His classmate Ahmed al-Sidawi praised him for being a “polite friend” and a “professional” writer. Amal al-Safadi, Muhammad Sami’s wife, had just announced their marriage on her Facebook page on September 2nd, 2023.

In a farewell post, Ahmed Daher expressed profound sorrow over the death of his “beloved” friend, Mahmoud Tayseer al-Halabi. “Oh, my heart, how much you can bear,” he wrote, accompanying his words with a photo collage featuring his friend, a person waving a Palestinian flag, and the Dome of the Rock. “Who will go with me to the sea?”, he asked with grief.

Anas Abdel Moneim Abu Zant wrote a deeply felt condolence message for Muhammad Tayseer al-Halabi, a “good-natured, cheerful young man”. According to him, Muhammad Tayseer, who was a member of the Al-Weam Charitable Society, died “while performing his charitable and relief duty in distributing aid to those affected by the brutal, cowardly aggression”. In the post, Muhammad Tayseer can be seen with a bright smile, wearing a blue sweatshirt over a purple sweater. Al-Khalot Abu Muhammad also honoured his “beloved friend” and “gallant neighbour” Muhammad Tayseer. “We are saddened by your passing”, he posted.

Facebook user Khaled Al Aloul mourned the loss of some members of Al-Halabi’s family, including Tayseer Mahmoud Halil al-Halabi and his children and posted an image of the completely destroyed building with dozens of men standing amidst debris and rubble.

Where possible, the names of the victims have been also matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) lists, which include national ID numbers. Since October 26, 2023, the MoH has released six lists, along with an additional list of medical professionals, which was released on September 17, 2024. Airwars matches individuals to the first list where their names appeared. In regard to this incident, names are matched to the first “Palestinian Ministry of Health List of Fatalities in Gaza”, which was released on October 26, 2023.

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