Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0699

Incident date

October 29, 2023

Location

الصفطاوي, al Saftawi, North Gaza, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.539895, 34.473281 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On October 29th 2023, at least one civil defense personnel was injured in an alleged “double-tap” Israeli airstrike during a rescue operation at the site of another alleged Israeli airstrike that had taken place earlier that day – the Juma’a family home near the Al-Saftawi roundabout in the northern Gaza Strip (assessed in ISPT0698).

At 8:01 pm on October 29th, the Palestinian Press Agency Safa.ps quoted the Hamas-run Ministry of Interior in Gaza, reporting that “[the Israeli military] resumes bombing near the home of the “Juma’a” family near Al-Saftawi roundabout in the northern Gaza Strip, while ambulance crews work to recover the martyrs and injured.” The same evening, @ShehabAgency reported that Civil Defense members were being bombed while retrieving the martyrs from under the rubble of the Juma’a family home. @ShehabAgency also tweeted a photo of a civil defense worker who was “injured during rescue operations” while also reporting that “Three civil defense crews were injured as a result of being targeted while they were evacuating wounded people from one of the houses that was subjected to Israeli bombing, west of the Netzarim liberation” but did not specify that all were injured while working at the Juma’a family home. The image shows a man wearing an orange vest laying on a stretcher as he is wheeled into a chaotic hospital corridor.

Earlier that day, dozens of people were reportedly killed and injured in an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Juma’a family home. In photos and videos taken in the aftermath of that incident, numerous rescue workers can be seen helping to recover victims at the site. The first strike is documented in ISPT0698.

Where sources identified the belligerent, the strike was attributed to Israeli forces.

The incident occured during the night.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Saftawi (الصفطاوي) to the west of Jabalia (جباليا). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Al Saftawi are: 31.539895, 34.473281.

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Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Infrastructure
    Residential
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @ShehabAgency
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mr. L Haji
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Al_alawi2021

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Infrastructure
    Residential
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]