On the afternoon of October 12th 2023, an alleged Israeli airstrike hit several houses in Jabalia in northern Gaza, killing between 55 and 63 civilians, including up to 24 children, and injuring at least six others, including a child. One Islamic Jihad leader was also reportedly killed, and many of the other individuals killed in the strike were his family members.
Though initial estimates were lower, local sources consistently reported and identified by name at least 44 individuals killed. At least another 12 individuals were killed but remained unidentified by local sources, who noted that they had been displaced from elsewhere in Gaza.
Abd al-Rahman Ahmad Abd al-Rahman Shehab (65) was identified by the Islamic Jihad Movement, as quoted by @ShehabAgency, as an Islamic Jihad leader. Other local sources identified him as a writer, director of the Atlas Center for Studies, and a former Israeli prisoner. He was reportedly released as part of the first wave of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange, also known as Wafa al-Ahrar, on October 18th 2011 after being in prison since September 1989. He is one of the ‘key Hamas operatives’ listed on the IDF website, listed as a Senior Operative in the Islamic Jihad.
He was reportedly killed alongside 36 civilians who shared his family name, and were likely all related. Airwars has identified the individuals as follows:
Abd al-Rahman Ahmad Abd al-Rahman Shehab’s wife, Souad Rabie Abdel Rahman Shehab (61), their four children and at least 14 grandchildren.
This includes their son Ahmed Abdel Rahman Ahmed Shehab (42), killed alongside his three children: his daughter Souad Ahmed Abdel Rahman Shehab (6), his son Abd al-Rahman Ahmad Abd al-Rahman Shehab (13), and his other daughter Lina Ahmed Abdel Rahman Shehab (10).
Their other son Mohamed Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Shehab (37) was also killed, together with his three children: daughter Israa Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Shehab (12), his son Osama Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Shehab (9), his other daughter Judy Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Shehab (6).
Their daughter Amna Abdel Rahman Ahmed Shehab (41 years old), was reported killed alongside her husband, Saleh Omar Mustafa Shehab (41), and their five children: their son Anas Saleh Omar Shehab (17), their daughter Rawand Saleh Omar Shehab (18), their other daughter Jinan Saleh Omar Shihab (12), their other daughter Afnan Saleh Omar Shehab (6), their other daughter Aisha Saleh Omar Shehab (4).
Their other daughter Asia Abdel Rahman Ahmed Shehab (43) was also reported killed alongside her husband, Mustafa Omar Mustafa Shehab (46), and their three children: their son Omar Mustafa Omar Shehab (25), their other son Ahmed Mustafa Omar Shehab (21), their other son Mohamed Mustafa Omar Shehab (17).
Several other members of the Shehab family was also reported killed, including a grandmother alongside her children and grandchildren: Halima Muhammad Ibrahim Shehab (79), her daughter Asma Rabie Abdel Rahman Shehab (45), her son Abd al-Rahman Rabie Abd al-Rahman Shehab (54). Abd al-Rahman Rabie Abd al-Rahman Shehab’s wife Mona Nahed Muhammad Shehab (39), their son Bilal Abdul Rahman Rabie Shehab (6), their daughter Lotus Abdul Rahman Rabie Shehab (10), their other daughter Rita Abdel Rahman Rabie Shehab (7).
Also mentioned killed in the strike was Abdullah Omar Mustafa Shehab (38) alongside his wife Islam Farid Mustafa Shehab (38), their daughter Walaa Abdullah Omar Shehab (13), their son Alaa Abdullah Omar Shehab (12), their other son Omar Abdullah Omar Shehab (9), their other son Abdulkarim Abdullah Omar Shehab (2).
Amna Omar Mustafa Abu Hamidan (41), was also reported killed alongside her daughter Shaima Ashraf Mustafa Abu Hamidan (16).
Additional victims given without indication as their relation to the other Shehab family members were: Enas Khattab Abdul Karim Shehab (26), Aisha Omar Mustafa Shehab (3), Mohamed Omar Mustafa Shehab (40 days old), Khawla Omar Mustafa Shehab (33), Hala Ashraf Mustafa Abu Hamidan (17), Maryam Ashraf Mustafa Abu Hamidan (13), Jana Ashraf Mustafa Abu Hamidan (7), Abdul Rahman Ashraf Mustafa Abu Hamidan (20).
In addition to the members of the Shehab and Abu Hamidan family killed and injured, multiple local sources reported that a displaced family from Beit Hanoun was sheltering on the ground floor of the same house and was also killed. Estimates of the number of people from this family that were killed range from 12, provided by Moussa Shehab, to 20, provided by Mohammed Alqazzaz. Airwars does not have the names or ages of these victims.
@ShehabAgency reported that journalist Ahmed Shehab was among those killed (likely included as one of the names mentioned above). He worked for Voice of Prisoners Radio (Sowt al-Asra Radio) according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. @Kuffiyateam posted a video of Ahmed documenting the last few moments of his life before the strike that killed him and his family (his wife and three children). While strikes can be heard in the background, Ahmed is heard saying facing the camera: “this might be my last video, this is my message for the world. We’ve been cut off from food, and electricity and water and everything, and we can’t leave our house because they are killing us from the inside and from the outside (…)”
Airwars was also able to identify the names of six individuals injured in the strike: Omar Mustafa Abdullah Shehab (70), Fatima Abdullah Hussein Shehab (37), Abdul Rahman Omar Mustafa Shehab (29), Baraa Abdul Rahman Omar Shehab (29), Islam Omar Mustafa Shehab (36), Qasim Ahmed Abdel Rahman Shehab (2).
Shaaban Al Jarjeer reported that the Shehab family home was located on Al-Nuzha Street, consisted of four floors, and was destroyed.
Focus Media published the image of an infant whose family was killed, asking if anyone recognized him. The child remained at Al-Shifa hospital.
Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023.
Where sources identified a belligerent, they attributed the strike to Israeli forces. Multiple sources also alleged that the strike had occurred without a warning.
Due to the scale and urgency of Airwars’ assessment process, all images have been automatically uploaded to each assessment with the graphic filter applied to protect users. We have also included all images identified from the sources, which may also include any imagery of combatants.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
