Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT210624c

Incident date

June 21, 2024

Location

خربة العدس، رفح, Khirbet Al Adas, Rafah, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.286310, 34.271887 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

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.

The incident occured at approximately 11:30 am local time.

The victims were named as:

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

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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Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Adly Abuta
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhammad Singer
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Seham EL-nahal
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Seham EL-nahal
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Seham EL-nahal
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Sakher H Elnahal
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu Raed
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu Raed
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: News source
  • 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]