On the morning of Tuesday, October 31st, 2023, at least 24 civilians, including at least two women and at least four children, were reportedly killed and a large number of civilians were reportedly injured after an alleged Israeli airstrike bombed an entire residential block in the al-Shati camp, west of Gaza City, including the Abu Obeid family home on Hamid Street and surrounding residential buildings.

At 1:24 PM, Shehab Agency tweeted that a large number of injured people and 14 civilians who had been killed in the incident arrived at al-Shifa Medical Complex. Most of the injuries and people that were killed as reported by Jordan TV/ @JrtvMedia and Moaab News were from the Abu Obeid, Muqdad, Arafa, and Salem families. Twitter/X user @RajabQasem3 added that among the victims were also members of the Al-Namnam family and the Nuwaija family. According to JrtvMedia, an Israeli aircraft allegedly bombed an entire densely populated residential square in al-Shati camp, leading to a large number of killed members of the Abu Obeid, Miqdad, Arafa, and Salem families.

In their Twitter/X post, Sara Biltaji shared a video of the moment the Israeli military allegedly bombed the residential area. In the aftermath of the incident @ShehabAgency and Quds News posted visual evidence that documented the destruction of an entire residential block and its surrounding area. Twitter/X user @MahmoudHMiqdad and @fadwa_aliahmad shared video that documented rescue efforts and bodies uncovered from piles of rubble. @MahmoudHMiqdad added: “Dozens of martyrs and injuries. Body parts everywhere.”

Condolence messages shared by family and friends on social media helped Airwars researchers identify a total of twenty victims.

Abu Obeid family

A Twitter/X post by @abrahmansara identified five members of the Abu Obeid family that were killed in the attack. Amongst those killed were 42-year-old Hassan Muhammad Hussein Abu Obeid (Abu Fadi), his 18-year-old son Fadi Hassan Muhammad Abu Obeid, his 47-year-old brother Mahmoud Muhammad Hussein Abu Obeid (Abu Allam), his 26-year-old cousin Anas Abu Obeid and his 33-year-old nephew Dr. Tariq Ziad Ibrahim Abu Obeid.

According to @Jales_tinian2’s Twitter/X post, the late Tariq was a surgeon at al-Shifa Hospital. He added two images of the deceased doctor in a medical uniform working at a hospital. In another Twitter/X post, he shared images of the late Hassan, Mahmoud and Tariq.

Mohammed Essam in his Facebook post offered condolence to his wife and relatives of Abu Obeid family and added two more names of the Abu Obeid family to the list of those killed, in particular Mahmoud Muhammad Abu Obeid’s 19-year-old son Allam Mahmoud Muhammad Abu Obeid and Tariq Ziad Abu Obeid’s son Hakim Tariq Ziad Abu Obeid (age unknown).

Al-Masari family

Balsam Hamalawi identified three members of the al-Masari family whose lives were lost in the incident. Amongs those killed were his 34-year-old uncle Ahmed Ibrahim Juma al-Masari, who died alongside his two-year-old daughter Waad Ahmed Ibrahim al-Masari and his son 8-year-old Saqr Ahmed Ibrahim al-Masari. Ahmed died days after the strike from the injuries sustained in the attack while Ahmed’s wife was also injured.

On their Facebook post, Abood Neijim mourned the loss of their sister’s children Waad and Saqr, as well as prayed for their sister’s and their sister’s husband’s recovery – both of whom were in critical condition after the bombing hit their family home. On November 7, Balsam Hamalawi’s post confirmed that Ahmed Ibrahim al-Masari had died from the injuries sustained in the attack, adding that for days he had been waiting to be transferred to receive treatment in Egypt, but this did not happen. “Goodbye, uncle. You have the kindest heart and the sweetest laugh”, and alongside the post he shared an image of Ahmed and his son.

Additional victims were identified by @Beach Camp’s Facebook page and Hosam Salem’s Facebook post.

Miqdad family

The members of the Miqdad family, Aboud Miqdad and 21-year-old Tamim Miqdad, were remembered in the Facebook tribute by Sahar Miqdad who also shared their images – a headshot of a young smiling man in a blue T-shirt on the left and a smiling man in a black sport jacket standing against the backdrop of the sea.

Salem Deeb family

The airstrike also killed at least three members of the Salem Deeb family – a 31-year-old man named Youssef Hani Mahmoud Salem Deeb, 36-year-old man named Wissam Issam Salem and a 62-year-old woman named Rahma Salem Deeb (Umm Hussam).

Khamis M. Hassan‎‏ paid tribute to his sister’s husband Youssef Salem Deeb. He prayed to God to give his family patience to bear this loss: “God willing, Youssef Salem, until we meet again in the gardens of bliss.” He also added an image of Salem – a young bearded man in a black T-shirt standing on a beach and smiling at caemera.

Twitter/X account “Martyrs of Gaza” dedicated a separate post to the later Youssef, writing that Youssef was a talented individual who worked in the field of design and was beloved by those who knew him. He was known for his laughter and the constant smile on his face. He had been married for only a year and was blessed with a daughter named Yasmin and was extremely joyful about her arrival.

Al-Khatib family

“The eye certainly sheds tears, and the heart certainly grieves, and we are saddened by your departure” read the post written by Abu Saoud Kh, who mourned the loss of his cousin 36-year-old Hatem Hussein Ahmed al-Khatib (Abu al-Baraa) who was killed in this incident alongside his three-year-old son Anas Hatem Hussein Al-Khatib. He shared an image of the late Hatem, a young clean-shaved man in a blue T-shirt, smiling at the camera.

Arafa family

24-year-old Mohammed Adnan Zaki Arafa was also reportedly killed in the strike alongside his sister. Ezz Arafa‎‏ wrote a touching tribute to her late brother on Facebook: “A thousand mercies and light descend upon you, my brother, my support, the martyr (Mohammed Adnan Zaki Arafa).” She also shared an image of the young man with a beard posing in front of a car.

The Beach Camp Facebook page mentioned Mahmoud Abu Sha’ir (age unknown) and 40-year-old Saeb Salama among those killed, in addition to “the Al-Qawqa family, Abu Ibrahim’s relative and grandsons“.

Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on July 24, 2024.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the airstrike to Israeli forces.

The incident occured in the morning.