On Monday, 30th October, 2023, a young Palestinian civilian, a successful entrepreneur and a father of newborn twin daughters, Mahmoud Anwar Abu Shawish, was killed in in the Netzarim area about 5 kilometers southwest of Gaza City in an alleged Israeli strike or ground operation in Gaza.

The exact circumstances and time of Mahmoud’s death are unknown – while Twitter/X account “Martyrs of Gaza” claimed he had been killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike, other sources had reported that the contact with him was lost “during an incursion into vehicles in the Netzarim area”, a ground operation by the Israeli military. The precise location of the incident also remains unknown.

On October 31st Facebook user, Muthana Najjar, made an urgent appeal to find Mahmoud who was reported as missing. The comment reported that Mahmoud’s family had lost contact with him at 11am the day before, ‘“during an incursion into vehicles in the Netzarim area,” while he was traveling north, from the south to the Gaza Governorate.

In a photo shared alongside the post to help viewers identify the missing man, Mahmoud can be seen as a young man smiling up at the camera stands by water at night time. For several days, following the initial post, the appeal was shared by users on various social media platforms.

On November 27th, Facebook user Waseem Ashour reported Mahmoud as having been killed. Shortly after that, friends and family members mourned hia death on social media.

On November 29 family relative Mahmoud Abu Shawish wrote that the family was not able to bury Mahmoud, as Israel forces allegedly prevented the access to his body.

Mahmoud Anwar was described as a young “distinguished entrepreneur” and “ambitious person” who co-founded the Tawreed Company.  Weeks after the incident, @GazaMartyrs wrote about Mahmoud Anwar, saying: “we bid farewell to a shining star in the sky of innovation and contribution. Our loss is not just a loss of the hope that gave our hearts strength and optimism towards a prosperous future, but it is a loss of a part of ourselves.”.

The post lamented the death of his brother Ahmed less than two weeks before, on October 17. In a photo shared alongside the post he was depicted at an educational camp sitting in a circle with a group of children.

Mahmoud had recently become a father to twin girls. In a post of Facebook on January 26, 2024, his father Anwar Abu Shawish, expressed his sadness and shared an image of Mahmoud’s round-faced babies in light pink and light blue onesies. The caption read ‘What remains of my memory of my son, Mahmoud, is my granddaughters, Qout and Yaqut, may God protect them.”

Twitter/X user @Jales_tinian2 wrote his own touching tribute to the late Mahmoud, praising his achievements and personality traits:

“A loyal friend, a distinguished entrepreneur, an ambitious person who was full of brilliant achievements and limitless ambitions, Mahmoud, the co-founder of the Tarood Company, was martyred. His biography tells an exceptional success story, a witness to what a strong will can do even in the harshest of circumstances.”

He also added that Mahmoud memorised the Quran.

Mahmoud’s father continued to express his grief throughout 2024. On the Islamic holiday, Eid Al-Fitr, Anwar posted on Facebook, “Eid comes despite the bleeding wound and despite the loss of my beloved sons, Mahmoud and Ahmed. But we will remain steadfast and patient despite the intensity and cruelty of the war.”

Only one source, Twitter/X account Martys of Gaza, directly attributed the strikes to Israeli forces. Therefore, Airwars has graded strike status as a single source claim.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The local time of the incident is unknown.