Conflict

Israel and Gaza

Incident Code

ISPT210624c

Location

خربة العدس، رفح, Khirbet Al Adas, Rafah, Palestinian territories

Geolocation

31.286310, 34.271887
Accuracy: Neighbourhood/area

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

Shortly before noon on 21 June 2024, an alleged Israeli bombardment struck the Al Shuhada Square and killed three civilians while injuring others. All three, 28-year-old Muhammad Awni al-Nahal, Mazyouna Salamah al-Nahal, and 23-year-old Alaa Talaat al-Nahal, belonged to the al-Nahal family.

Alaa al-Nahal was the first to be identified. A news account on Facebook posted a photo of his corpse wrapped in plastic after it arrived at the Gaza European Hospital. A video shared by Facebook user Sahem el-Nahal showed people crying over his body and wiping blood off of his face.

His friends and family also posted eulogies with photos of him while he was alive–in one of them, he appears in graduation robes. Referring to him as a “Captain,” friends remembered this “good young man” and offered condolences to his surviving family.

Later in the afternoon, the body of Muhammad Awni al-Nahhal, another young man, was recovered. Smiling photos of Muhammad were attached.

Reports started to surface that two people were killed in the strike and one was injured. But relatives later also posted eulogies for Mazyouna Salamah al-Nahhal, an older woman, noting that she was killed in the same strike. It is unclear if she was the person initially mentioned as injured. Family asked that “God have mercy” on her, and “make [her] abode Paradise.”

Some reports mention that “others” were also injured in the strike, but Airwars has not been able to confirm names or numbers of these potential casualties.

Where sources attributed the strike to a belligerent, they did so to Israeli forces.

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

Victims

Family members (3)

Muhammad Awni al-Nahal محمد عوني النحال
28 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 400775938
Alaa Talaat al-Nahal علاء طلعت النحال
23 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 407035575
Mazyouna Salamah al-Nahal مزيونه سلامه النحال
Adult female killed

Key Information

Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Strike Status
Likely strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
3
1 Woman, 2 Men
Civilians reported injured
2

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the area of Khirbet Al Adas (خربة العدس) north of Rafah City (رفح), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.286310, 34.271887. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.    

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Military Statements

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

Media From Sources (10)