Israel and Gaza 2023

Israel and Gaza 2023

Satellite imagery, screenshot from Google Earth, October 2023

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Civilian deaths alleged
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Incident Code

PALIS010

Incident date

May 11, 2021

Location

عسقلان, Ashkelon, Israel

Geolocation

31.666667, 34.566667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One Israeli civilian was killed and as many as seven injured when alleged Hamas militants fired a rocket struck the city of Ashkelon southern Israel on the 11th May, 2021, according to local reports.

Nella Gurevitz (between 52 and 57 years old) was killed and her husband injured, when a rocket reportedly fired by Hamas struck their apartment according to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Israeli media outlet Ynet named Mrs Gurevitz husband as Gregory, and described his injuries as light.

BelarusFeed reported that Nella and her husband were from Belarus and “the mayor’s office also clarified that Nella Gurevich was 57 years old and that the couple immigrated to Israel in 1990. The journalist of the Israel Segodnya newspaper contacted the neighbours of the family, who said that the couple was always friendly with them, but led a rather secluded life, the spouses did not have children. They confirmed that the couple came to Israel from Belarus.”

“I know Nellie as a very sympathetic person, she always tried to support me and other people. We shared interests in music, we both once graduated from a music school. It was a shock for me to find out that she was dead, I will miss her,” said Nella’s friend Anna Litrovnik.

As many as five other people were lightly injured by shrapnel, according to Haaretz.

Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed they carried out the strikes that resulted in casualties, posting in their Telegram channel that “A while ago, Al-Qassam Brigades bombarded occupied Ashkelon with a salvo of S40 missiles” and a bit later “The occupation officially acknowledges the killing of 2 of its [settlers] as a result of the recent Qassam bombing of Ashkelon.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Nella Gurevitz
52 years old female killed
Gregory
male Husband of Nella injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Nella Gurevitz (52) of Ashkelon, was killed in the Hamas rocket attack on Ashkelon May 11, 2021. She was in her apartment together with her husband when a rocket hit her building. (Image posted by Ynet)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city Ashkelon (عسقلان), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.666667, 34.566667. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    1
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    1

Original strike reports

Palestinian Militants
Official source

12:46
A while ago, Al-Qassam Brigades bombarded occupied Ashkelon with a salvo of S40 missiles

12:58
The enemy admits that a building in Ashkelon was hit and several injuries occurred, including serious cases, as a result of the recent Qassamese bombing with Sejil missiles

13:14
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
The occupation officially acknowledges the killing of 2 of its [settlers] as a result of the recent Qassam bombing of Ashkelon

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

PALIS024

Incident date

May 15, 2021

Location

رمات غان, Ramat Gan, Israel

Geolocation

32.081325, 34.818636 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A 55-year-old man was killed, and six others wounded when a rocket fired from Gaza struck the Ramat Gan neighbourhood of Tel Aviv in the early afternoon on May 15th, 2021, according to local and international media reports. Al Qassam claimed responsibility for the attack.

The man was named as Gershon Franco by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which added that he was laid to rest at the Yarn cemetery in Petah Tikva.  On May 28th, 2021 Haaretz reported that Mr Franco had died as a result of wounds to his upper body and neck.

Magen David Adom paramedic, Lior Mermelstein, told Walla News: “When we arrived at the scene, we saw destruction and damage to buildings on the street. We went from door to door with large MDA forces and conducted searches in the apartments, in one of which we located a 50-year-old man unconscious. We performed medical tests to give him medical treatment, but after the resuscitation operations he was pronounced dead.” @Mdais also added that the six people who were injured had “light” injuries.

An article by the Dhi Qar Agency describes four holes in the door of Gershon apartment from the shrapnel that resulted in his death. Channel 12 news reported that the man did not have a protected area in his home and was unable to reach a bomb shelter in time.

Haaretz provided information about the victim, Gershon, that he was sick with cancer and was deemed 100% disabled. At one point, his federal allowance was not enough and he was homeless until his friends found him the apartment he was killed in, referred to as a “shack”, which was previously used for storing tools.

Naftali Cohen, Franco’s friend, told Haaretz, “He lived in it only because he didn’t want to sleep on the street. At least he had a shower and a bed – the rest we were able to arrange. He didn’t interest the welfare authorities. He appealed to them a million times. I told him we would go to the Housing Ministry and he said, ‘Naftali, help me. I have no strength to fight.’ No one listened to him.”

The mayor of Ramat Gan, Carmel Shama HaCohen, told Ynet that “if that resident had followed the Home Front Command’s instructions, even though he did not have a security guard in his housing unit, he would have survived.” However, his sister refuted this claim, saying that “He was 100% disabled with many medical problems, including severe leg pain, and they may have prevented him from running to the shelter during the alarm yesterday. No one cared what he was dealing with.”

According to the Jewish News Syndicate “a rocket landed in the middle of an adjacent street, causing serious damage to surrounding storefronts and dozens of apartments. The blast also caused a car parked on the street to go up in flames”. @Istanbultelaviv added that the rocket attack led 48 families to evacuate to hotels.

Al Qassam claimed responsibility for the rocket attack, posting in their Telegram channel at 11:29 that “Al-Qassam Brigades is now launching a missile strike on Tel Aviv with dozens of missiles in response to the Shati refugee camp massacre against women, children and the safe” and by 12:17 posted that “the enemy admits the killing of an occupier, the wounding of others, and the infliction of great damage in the recent Qassam bombing of Tel Aviv”.

The incident occured around midday.

The victims were named as:

Gershon Franco
55 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (44) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (37) [ collapse]

  • Translated caption reads: This is what the rockets did, and the attack in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv today (via @ShehabAgency)
  • Image shows damage caused by a rocket attack on May 15th, 2021. A man died in the incident (image via @ShehabAgency)
  • A man was killed in the Ramat Gan neighbourhood of Tel Aviv after a rocket struck the area. Image shows some of the damage (image via @ShehabAgency)
  • Image shared in relation to the May 15th, 2021 rocket attack in a Tel Aviv neighbourhood (image via @MohamdNashwan)
  • Rocket attack caused damage in a Tel Aviv neighbourhood. A 55-year-old man identified as Gershon Franco was killed and six others injured (image via @MohamdNashwan)
  • Fires can be seen in the image which was shared in relation to a rocket attack in an Israeli neighbourhood on May 15th, 2021. The neighbourhood sustained damage as a result, a civilian man was killed and up to six civilians injured (image via @qudsn)
  • Translated caption reads: #Photo of the great damage to an apartment in Ramat Gan due to the rockets and missiles fired from Gaza (image via @PalinfoAr)
  • Image appears to show a body covered in material. Shared in relation to the rocket attack in Ramot Gan on May 15th, 2021 that killed Gershon Franco (image via Walid Mohammed Al Hasan)
  • Image caption reads: Got up to my apartment roof where Israeli media are shooting live scenes of the devastation from the Gaza rocket that slammed into the middle of the street in Ramat Gan, killing a 50-year-old man (image via @JoshMarks78)
  • Image caption reads: You can see the strength of the rocket that hit Ramat Gan killing a 55-year old man. 48 families were evacuated to hotels. The rocket hit in middle of the road (via @Istanbultelaviv)
  • A rocket fired from Gaza struck the Ramat Gan neighbourhood of Tel Aviv in the early afternoon on May 15th, 2021. Image shows some of the damage (image via @Stone_SkyNews)
  • Image from the Ramat Gan neighbourhood where a rocket struck killing a civilian and injuring six others (image via @Stone_SkyNews)
  • Image showing the funeral of Gershon Franco who was killed in a May 15th, 2021 rocket attack in Ramot Gan. Caption reads: Four holes in the wooden door to his flat mark where shrapnel from a Hamas rocket hit Gershon Franco’s home & killed him (image via @patrickkingsley)
  • Image shows damage caused by a rocket attack on May 15th, 2021. A man died in the incident (image via @ShehabAgency)
  • Rockets launched from Gaza struck buildings around Ramat Gan in Tel Aviv on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by @MohamdNashwan)
  • Rescue crews work to put out fires caused by strikes on Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by @qudsn)
  • Rescue crews at the scene of strikes on Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by @AlarabyTV)
  • Rescue crews at the scene of strikes on Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by @AlarabyTV)
  • Rescue crews at the scene of strikes on Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by @AlarabyTV)
  • Image appears to show a funeral. Shared in relation to the rocket attack in Ramot Gan on May 15th, 2021 that killed Gershon Franco (image via Walid Mohammed Al Hasan)
  • Rescue crews at the scene of strikes on Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by Dhi Qar Agency)
  • MDA medics are responding to rocket which fell in central Israel Ramat Gan which struck a residential area. (Image posted by @Mdais)
  • MDA medics are responding to rocket which fell in central Israel Ramat Gan which struck a residential area. (Image posted by @Mdais)
  • MDA medics are responding to rocket which fell in central Israel Ramat Gan which struck a residential area. (Image posted by @Mdais)
  • Cleaning up damage from rocket that fell on Ramat Gan just outside Tel Aviv on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by @Stone_SkyNews)
  • Cleaning up damage from rocket that fell on Ramat Gan just outside Tel Aviv on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by Walla News)
  • Gershon Franco, in his 50s, was killed in Hamas rocket attacks on Ramat Gan on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by Ynet)
  • The "shack" that Gershon Franco lived in when he was killed by shrapnel from a rocket on May 15, 2021. (Image posted by Haaretz)

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in the Ramat Gan (רמת גן) neighbourhood of Tel Aviv (תל אביב). Analyzing visual material from sources, we have narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 32.081325, 34.818636.

  • Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in the Ramat Gan (רמת גן) neighbourhood of Tel Aviv (תל אביב).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Image from Google Street view matches those from sources.

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    1
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    6

Original strike reports

Palestinian Militants
Official source

11:29
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
Al-Qassam Brigades is now launching a missile strike on Tel Aviv with dozens of missiles in response to the Shati refugee camp massacre against women, children and the safe.

11:58
The effects of the Qassam bombing on the Ramat Gan area in Tel Aviv

12:12
Al-Qassam Brigades renews its shelling of Tel Aviv with a missile launch

12:17
The enemy admits the killing of a rapist, the wounding of others, and the infliction of great damage in the recent Qassam bombing of Tel Aviv

Media
from belligerent (2) [ collapse]

  • "The effects of the Qassam bombing on the Ramat Gan area in Tel Aviv" (Image posted by Al Qassam on Telegram)
  • "The effects of the Qassam bombing on the Ramat Gan area in Tel Aviv" (Image posted by Al Qassam on Telegram)

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (44) [ collapse]

Incident Code

PALIS028

Incident date

May 18, 2021

Location

جنوب اسرائيل, Ohad, Israel

Geolocation

31.237596, 34.431781 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two Thai nationals were killed, and as many as 20 people injured, when a rocket reportedly fired by the Al-Qassam Brigades struck an agricultural packaging plant in the town of Ohad, in southern Israel on May 18th, 2021, according to local reports.

The Al Qassam Brigade released a statement claiming responsibility for the strike in their Telegram channel: “The missile strike, which led to the death of 2 and the wounding of 20 others, was directed by the Al-Qassam Brigades towards the “Ohad” moshav within the Mtiftim complex in the Eshkol Regional Council, in which Q20 missiles were used.”

Two foreign workers, Weerawat Karunborirak, 44, and Sikharin Sangamram, 24, were on a break with colleagues when their residential compound was struck, said Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both were killed in the strike.

Police said the strike injured eight others, including one seriously and one moderately, according to the Time of Israel. The Magen David Adom ambulance service said the injured were transferred to Soroka Hospital by ambulance and helicopter. Images published by Ynet show that at least one woman was among the injured. On May 21st, 2021 the Bangkok Post reported that one man, Attarachai Thamkaew, 28, was still in hospital following the incident.

Weerawat Karunborirak arrived in Israel in 2018 with the intention of earning enough money to build a home for his family in Thailand, the construction of which ended before he had a chance to live in it, reported the Bangkok Post. Mr Karunborirak’s wife said her husband would call home twice a day, when he did not call on Tuesday she became worried and subsequently learned of his death through a friend. “I was shocked and I am still confused. I really don’t know what to do,” Ms Ruenrat told the Post.

Sikharin Sangamram, a husband and father of four, had recently arrived in the country; he had worked at the plant in Ohad for three days before he was killed, reported Haaretz.

A spokesperson for the Eshkol Regional Council said the workers had had access to a portable domed bomb shelter but had chosen not to use it, while Haaretz reported the shelters provided were too small to accommodate all of the workers on the site. Walla News quoted a Thai worker, interviewed by the BBC, who said that prior to the strike there had been no warning alarm.

The strike is believed to have taken place at noon.

The incident occured around midday.

The victims were named as:

Weerawat Karunborirak
44 years old male killed
Sikharin Sangamram
24 years old male killed
Attarachai Thamkaew
28 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (49) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • ashkubit.com Rescue Union spokesperson via [ashkubit.com]
  • Weerawat Karunborirak's widow is seen with a pictures of her late husband. Image courtesy of Ynet
  • People wounded in the rocket strike on Ohad arrive at Soroka Hospital (Photo: Herzl Yosef visa Ynet)
  • The scene of the strike (Photo: AP via Ynet)
  • Relatives of the two workers killed by a rocket in Moshav Ohad hold their pictures. From Thailand's state television Footage Photograph: Thai PBS World
  • The Q20 missile that was used in the Qassam missile strike on the Moshav "Ohad" within the Muftahim compound in the Eshkol Regional Council, which led to the killing of 2 and the wounding of 20 others. (Image posted by @amansouraja)
  • Damage to vehicles and fire caused by Qassam missile strike on the Moshav "Ohad" within the Muftahim compound in the Eshkol Regional Council. (Image posted by @Abu_Obeida0)
  • The moment the #Qassam Brigades were targeted with missiles, the settlement of Ohad, in the Mfathim complex
  • This led to the death of 2 and the wounding of 20.. The Qassam missile strike with Q20 rockets on Moshav “# Ohad” in the Miftaim complex in Eshkol, which is about 10 km from the fleeting wire
  • #See It led to the killing of 2 and wounding of 20.. The Qassam missile strike with Q20 missiles on the Moshav "Ohad" in the Mtifhim complex in Ashkol, which is about 10 km from the fleeting wire

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ohad (אוהד), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.237596, 34.431781. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    2
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    20

Original strike reports

Palestinian Militants
Official source

13:32
The missile strike, which led to the death of 2 and the wounding of 20 others, was directed by the Al-Qassam Brigades towards the "Ohad" moshav within the Mtiftim complex in the Eshkol Regional Council, in which Q20 missiles were used.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (49) [ collapse]