Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0672

Incident date

October 27, 2023

Location

منطقة الزنة، خانيونس, Al Zana area, Khan Younis, Khan Younis, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.353611, 34.350278 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On Friday October 27th of 2023, four farmers – two of them identified as Muhammad Saber Mahmoud Al-Buraim (17-19 years old) and Ahmed Jamil Abu Lihia (35-39 years old), the two other unnamed –  were reportedly killed and seven others (based on video evidence) were injured in an alleged Israeli aircraft strike in the Al Zana area, east of Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, according to several sources.

The day of the alleged attack, multiple posts on Twitter/X and Facebook reported the killing of four farmers inside a car circulating in the Al-Zinah area, east of Khan Younis. Additionally, the user @Abdell_33 reporting the “Bombing [of] a farmers’ car in the Al Zana area” on Twitter/X, included a video showing two different ambulances transporting what appears to be seven injured civilians, including two women and one child, and potentially dead bodies.

That same day, Eyad Hasan Abu Reida identified two of the farmers who were killed on a Facebook post as Muhammad Saber Mahmoud Al-Buraim and Ahmed Jamil Abu Lihia.

‘Yousef k m samoor’ posted on Facebook a condolence message for his cousin, Muhammad Saber Mahmoud Al-Buraim, including a picture of him and writing “We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return (…) ##Muhammad is a martyr”.

‘Alsharqiya pulse’ also mourned the death of Muhammad Saber Mahmoud Al-Buraim, posting a second picture of the young boy, calling him “Martyr of Al-Sharqiya” on a Facebook post

‘The journalist citizen’ posted on Facebook condolences for the death of Ahmed Jamil Abu Lihia. The source included two pictures of Ahmed.

‘Bassam abu al-abd’ posted another post on Facebook mourning Ahmed Jamil Abu Lihia, and included a third picture of him.

Airwars has matched both names with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of victims released July 24, 2024.

Where 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:

Muhammad Saber Mahmoud Al-Buraim محمد صابر محمود البريم
18 years old male (17-19) killed Matched to MoH ID 409692464
Ahmed Jamil Abu Lihia أحمد جميل أبو لحية
37.5 years old male (35-39) killed Matched to MoH ID 800293201

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Zana area (منطقة الزنة) east of Khan Younis (خان يونس), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.353611, 34.350278. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.    

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[34.3656205,31.3586209],[34.3660497,31.3551577],[34.3667363,31.3477179],[34.355235,31.3485609],[34.3449353,31.348121],[34.3377685,31.3463985],[34.3360519,31.3485975],[34.3335199,31.3548096],[34.3413304,31.3627802],[34.3433045,31.3616075],[34.3454074,31.3609845],[34.3496989,31.3603249],[34.3511151,31.3593721],[34.3591832,31.3592439],[34.3656205,31.3586209]]]}}]}

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (0–1 children1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (52) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Yousef k m samoor
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: The journalist citizen
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: The journalist citizen
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Bassam abu al-abd
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Albareem family gathering
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Alsharqiya pulse
  • 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 harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (0–1 children1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (52) [ collapse]