Israel and Gaza 2023

Israel and Gaza 2023

Satellite imagery, screenshot from Google Earth, October 2023

Belligerent
Palestinian Militants
Country
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Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

PALIS007

Incident date

May 11, 2021

Location

Givat Shmuel, Israel

Geolocation

32.073814, 34.854181 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died of a heart attack during a rocket barrage by alleged Hamas militants in Giv’at Shmuel, west of Tel Aviv on May 11th, 2021, according to local reports.

Ron Vered was going for a jog with friends when an air raid alarm sounded shortly after 20:30, reported Ono News. According to the source Mr Vered sought shelter close to a wall where soon after he collapsed.

Staff from the Magen David Adom medical service performed CPR on Mr Vered both at the scene and on the way to the hospital where it was later announced that he had died, according to Ono News.

MDA paramedic Elazar Rubinstein told Ono News that “For about 40 minutes we performed CPR on him and it felt like two or three hours… I felt I was endangering myself, but I felt a mission to save his life. We actually fought him. He was young and we thought there was a good chance he was saved. At one point we decided to be evacuated to the hospital and also on the way there they performed CPR on him non-stop in an intensive care unit. Unfortunately, I was later informed that he had passed away.”

Ono News also added that “at that time, Vered’s wife, Danit, was in a carriage with her daughter near their house and when the first alarm sounded they sought shelter and entered the lobby of the building where they live: “I picked up my daughter from the bus stop and when we were near the house we heard the alarm. We quickly entered the building lobby and waited for relaxation,” says his wife Danish. “We tried several times to call Ron, but he did not answer the phone. After a few attempts, a nurse from Beilinson Hospital answered me and told me to get there. I called my brother and we drove to the hospital.””

Once she learned at the hospital that her husband had died, Danit allowed the nurses to donate his corneas. She told Channel 7 that “He was a pure and clean man, a good soul. He would give everything for others and that is the little thing where we could commemorate him.”

“Vered, a resident of Givat Shmuel for 14 years, has been a member of the Maccabi Ramat Gan Kochav soccer team since the age of 9. For the past two years, he has been involved in the “Hako Gali Gil Ramat Gan” fan group, which was one of its founders. He left behind a wife and two daughters.”

Hakoach Będzin, a Jewish soccer club in Poland, posted a tribute to him: “Today sad news has reached us from Israel. Ron Vered our good friend, football enthusiast, great friend to Hakoach Będzin suffered a heart attack during a missile attack on Israeli territory by Hamas forces supported by Palestinian leaders”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ron Vered
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Ron Vered and his wife Danit. Ron died from a heart attack during strikes on Israel on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by Ono News)
  • Ron Vered, who died from a heart attack during strikes on Israel on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by Ono News)
  • Rescue crews trying to resuscitate Ron Vered, who died from a heart attack during strikes on Israel on May 11, 2021. (Image posted by Ono News)
  • Tribute to Ron posted by Hakoach Będzin, a Jewish soccer club in Poland.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Ramon Park (פארק רמון), within the town of Givat Shmuel (גבעת שמואל), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.073814, 34.854181. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Palestinian Militants Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Palestinian Militants
  • Palestinian Militants position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Palestinian Militants

Sources (3) [ 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]