Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0589

Incident date

October 25, 2023

Location

تل الزعتر بشمال القطاع, Abu Khater Street, Tal al-Zaatar Area, Northern Gaza Strip, Gaza, Beit Hanoon, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

At least 15 civilians, including a pregnant woman and at least nine children, were reportedly killed and up to 40 others injured in an alleged Israeli airstrike which hit several homes on Abu Khater Street in the Tal al-Zaatar neighbourhood of the northern Gaza Strip on October 25th 2023.

Whilst the Jordanian news agency, Roya News, citing the Gaza Interior Ministry, announced that 11 had been killed in the strike, @abeer, writing on Twitter/X, placed the toll higher, reporting that “more than 20” were dead. Meanwhile, 15 individuals were named by family and friends to be among those killed. Therefore, in line with Airwars’ methodology, the minimum number of people killed has been recorded as 15.

Multiple sources concurred that many were injured in the strike, with Roya News placing the number of injuries at “dozens” whilst Shehab Agency reported that 40 injured people had arrived at the Indonesian Hospital and Awdeh TV placed the injury toll at 32. Among the injured who were transported to the hospital, @Walaasawalmeh claimed on Twitter/X that one group was composed entirely of children, along with images of at least six children receiving treatment. Palinfo reported in a post on Twitter/X that three children were injured in the incident.

According to Palinfo, the al-Zuhairi family home was destroyed in the strike whilst neighbouring houses, such as that of the Aziz family, were heavily damaged leaving many of the dead and injured buried beneath the rubble. @Bisan_Shafri added that the Salha and al-Sulay family homes were also hit in the strike and that rescue operations were carried out.

Of the 15 people identified by family and friends to have been killed in the strike, 12 came from three generations of the Salha family and three were members of the al-Zuhairi family. Grandmother Manal Salha was killed alongside her five daughters Maha Hussein Mohammed Salha, 21-year-old Shaima Hussein Mohammed Salha, who was nine months pregnant when the incident occured, 17-year-old Jannat Hussein Mohammed Salha, 13-year-old Shatha Hussein Mohammed Salha, and 10-year-old Maria Hussain Mohammed Salha as well as her son Muhammad Hussein Salha. Maha Hussein Salha’s 2-year-old daughter Hoda Ahmed Jamal Jarad and Shaima Hussein Salha’s 1-year-old daughter Rana Majd Ramzi al-Muqayed were also killed in the strike. Additionally, 24-year-old Israa Jamil Abu Dan, Manal Salha’s daughter-in-law, was killed alongside her 1-year-old son Moamen Essam Salha and her 2-year-old daughter Rehab Essam Salha.

From the al-Zuhairi family, grandfather Khaled al-Zuhairi was killed alongside his 2-year-old granddaughter Batoul al-Zuhairi and his 1-year-old grandson Moaz al-Zuhairi.

Furthermore, @feraasemad claimed that five had been killed in the Aziz family home.

TRTArabi posted a video on Twitter/X of a paramedic attempting to resuscitate a child who had reportedly been pulled from the rubble after the incident that took place in Tal al-Zaatar.

Numerous family members and friends mourned the loss of those killed on social media. Majd.almogayad [Majd Ramzi al-Muqayed] paid tribute to his wife Shaima Hussein Salha and young daughter Rana Majd Ramzi al-Muqayed on Facebook, announcing their death and writing “My wife, by beloved, the apple of my eye, who is in the ninth month of pregnancy, and my little daughter, Rana, my beloved, the light of my eyes, the queen of my heart, my soul, and my life […]”

Issam Hussein Salha, who lost his mother Manal Salha, his wife Israa Jamil Abu Dan, his two children Maomen Issam Salha and Rehab Essam Salha, and six siblings in the strike also mourned on Facebook. “I ask God Almighty that you attain the highest paradise”, he wrote.

Meanwhile, Mohammedd.shawari posted on Facebook that October 25th was “A date that I will never forget as long as I live.” He continued, “My grandchildren, Batoul and Moaz [al-Zuhairi] and their grandfather, the deceased friend. May God have mercy on you and give us patience in your separation.” A tweet from @AlAYASHxs included graphic images of both of the children deceased.

Aerial images posted by Roya News showed the scale of the destruction as two buildings appear totally destroyed, only pillars remaining, while the surrounding buildings also sustained substantial damage.

Images posted by Raya FM further show the scale of damage as an entire block has been flattened and Civil Defense workers can be seen searching under blocks of rubble. Other images of the scene, posted by Shehab Agency, show civilians and a digger clearing the rubble of the destroyed house, while household objects and clothes can be seen scattered across the area.

Upsetting images posted by multiple sources showed the family mourning the victims who had been killed, a number of bodies can be seen wrapped in white shrouds. An image posted on Twitter/X by Shehab Agency showed a man gently holding a child’s body, wrapped in a white shroud, close to him. Other images showed some of the child victims arriving at the Indonesian Hospital, severely harmed.

The Ministry of the Interior in Gaza reported that the incident took place without warning.

The names of all victims except for Maha Hussein Salha and Mohammed Hussein Salha have been reconciled to the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities published on October 26, 2023. Khaled al-Zuhairi and Manal Salha have been partially reconciled but full reconciliation is not possible without further evidence.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces.

Whilst the exact local time of the incident is unclear, reports first emerged in the late morning.

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 incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (12)

Manal Salha منال صالحة
52 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 910732296
Maha Hussein Salha (Umm Hoda) مها حسين صالحة
Adult female killed
Hoda Ahmed Jamal Jarad هدى أحمد جمال جراد
2 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 445469141
Shaima Hussein Mohammed Salha شيماء حسين محمد صالحة
21 years old female pregnant killed Matched to MoH ID 408396489
Rana Majd Ramzi Al-Muqayed رنا مجد رمزي المقيد
1 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 444309082
Jannat Hussein Mohammed Salha جنات حسين محمد صالحة
17 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 424442275
Shatha Hussein Mohammed Salha شذا حسين محمد صالحة
13 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 429651888
Maria Hussein Mohammed Salha ماري حسين صالحة
10 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 433502366
Muhammad Hussein Salha محمد حسين محمد صالحة
male killed
Israa Jamil Salim Abu Dan إسراء جمي ل سليم أبو دان
24 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 405788928
Rehab Essam Hussein Salha رحاب عصام حسين صالحة
2 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 444921241
Moamen Issam Hussein Salha مؤمن عصام حسين صالحة
1 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 444383558

Family members (3)

Khaled Al-Zuhairi خالد الزهيري
52 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 925351983
Batoul Abdul Fattah Khaled Al-Zuhairi بتول عبد الفتاح خالد الزهيري
2 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 441145554
Moaz Abdul Fattah Khaled Al-Zuhairi معاذ عبد الفتاح خالد الزهيري
1 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 445805781

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 21
  • (9–10 children4 women1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    32–40
  • 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 attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (36) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (52) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: Royanews news

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ziad_albokhiti

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    Source: @ziad_albokhiti

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    Source: @ziad_albokhiti

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    Source: @Elhefny60

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    Source: @Elhefny60

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    Source: @Elhefny60

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    Source: @Elhefny60

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    Source: @Bisan_Shrafi

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    Source: @palestineultra

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    Source: @palestineultra

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    Source: @palestineultra

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @AlAYASHxs

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    Source: @AlAYASHxs

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    Source: @Walaasawalmeh

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    Source: Majd.almogayad

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    Source: Majd.almogayad

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    Source: Hisham

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    Source: Wael

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    Source: Anas

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    Source: Anas

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    Source: Anas

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    Source: Anas

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    Source: Anas

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    Source: Rayafm

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    Source: Rayafm

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    Source: Rayafm

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    Source: Rayafm

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    Source: Semsem

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    Source: Semsem

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    Source: Semsem

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    Source: Mohamedd

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    Source: Mohamedd

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    Source: Mohamedd

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    Source: Permalink

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Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 21
  • (9–10 children4 women1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    32–40
  • 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 attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (36) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISPT0590

Incident date

October 25, 2023

Location

منزل لعائلة أبو الجبين في منطقة الفاخورة بجباليا شمال القطاع, Abu Al-Jabain family house in the Al-Fakhoura area in Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, Gaza strip, Jabalia, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

On October 5, 2023, at least three members of the Al-Jabain family —the child Yazan Muhammad Abu Al-Jabin (12) and his parents Souad Ali Abu Al-Jabin (37) and Muhammad Abu Al-Jabin (44) — were killed and a number of others were injured by an alleged Israeli airstrike on their home in the Al-Fakhoura area in Jabalia refugee camp, north of the Gaza Strip.

The incident was reported by the Shehab Agency through their Twitter/X account, which stated that “at least three martyrs and a number of wounded” resulted from the strike. A picture of what appears to be three bodies covered in white sheets was shared in the same tweet. Several other accounts including @qudsn and @alnourradio also reported the incident and mentioned “a number of wounded” but did not provide a toll. An image provided by Shehab Agency shows at least one child being treated at the hospital for injuries.

The same day, family members mourned the victims on social media. Abood, Muhammad Abu al-Jabain’s nephew, shared a heartfelt message through his Facebook account: “God suffices me and we are the agent. My uncle Muhammad Abu al-Jabain, his wife and his son Yazan were martyred in a cowardly raid that targeted our house. May God have mercy on you and may God grant you the highest paradise”. Yasmeen Omar, Souad Ali’s cousin, also announced the death of her relatives on Facebook: “With hearts full of faith and souls content with God’s decree and destiny, we received the news of the martyrdom. My big sister, my cousin, who is dear to my heart Souad Ali and her husband #Abu Yazan, my cousin, and their son Yazan Muhammad Abu Al-Jabain. You hurt my heart, may God have mercy on you and give us patience with you”. One picture attached to Abood’s post showed Yazan seemingly holding a small pistol – it was not immediately clear if it was real and there was no other indication he was not a civilian.

A selfie of Muhammad Abu Al-Jabin as well as a photo of his son reading were shared by several users on social media. Another relative, Hosam Abdel Al, also posted a picture of a proud Yazan wearing martial arts attire, holding a diploma, and a new belt after a competition.

A tweet from @PalinfoAr identified the location of the strike as “next to Al-Farid Hall” while the majority of other sources described the location as in the Al-Fakhoura area or the Al-Khalafa neighborhood in Jabalia camp. According to Ahmad Abuljobain, the Abu Al-Jabain family square is located next to Kamal Adwan Hospital.

Where possible, Airwars has matched names with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of nearly 7000 victims’ names and ID numbers released on October 26th.

The exact time of the strike and further details are unknown. Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces.

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.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Muhammad Abu Al-Jabin محمد أبو الجبين
44 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 903067908
Souad Ali Abu Al-Jabain سعاد علي أبو الجبين
37 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 801067182
Yazan Muhammad Abu Al-Jabin يزن محمد أبو الجبين
12 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 432349181

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: @ShehabAgency

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    Source: Abuljobain

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    Source: Abood

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    Source: Abood

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    Source: Groups

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    Source: Groups

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    Source: Yasmeen

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    Source: Na519na

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    Source: Abomazen166

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    Source: Hosam

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    Source: Hosam

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    Source: Permalink

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    Source: Permalink

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS653

Incident date

October 25, 2023

Location

قرية المشيرفة, village Al Mushairfa in the Ain Issa district, Ain Issa, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the afternoon or evening of Wednesday, October 25th, 2023, alleged Turkish artillery shelling struck the village of Al Mushairfa located 8 km east of the town of Ain Issa, Syria, injuring one civilian and striking grain silos.

The injured civilian has been named by most of the sources as a 26-year old Bashar Ahmed Al-Fanash, although North News reported that his age was 23. He was transported to Ain Issa Hospital where he received treatment for his wounds, some of which were located on his head as pictured.

Numerous local sources such as Hawar News reported that the bombs also hit a grain warehouse and silos in the city centre, however did not provide further details on the damage.

All sources attributed the attack to Turkish military forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Bashar Ahmed Al-Fanash بشار أحمد
26 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: ANHA facebook

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    Source: Ain Esa Plus facebook

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Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISPT0557

Incident date

October 24, 2023

Location

منزل لآل الحلقاوي في رفح جنوب القطاع, Al-Halqawi family in Rafah, Rafah, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

At least one person was killed and dozens were injured on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, after an alleged Israeli military aircraft reportedly struck the Al-Halqawi family home next to Rabaa Shahida School and in the vicinity of the Ali Mosque in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

Shehab Agency initially reported the incident but did not mention civilian injuries or casualties. Safa.ps would later claim that there were “martyrs and injured”. The X/Twitter account @alrayps and the Facebook user Mohammed Refat Farhat both declared the number of injured civilians was in the dozens, including serious injuries, with Mohammed Refat Farhat identifying only one “martyr” killed.

Wesam Rekhawi, who was injured in the attack, recounted his personal experience of the alleged strike in a Facebook post: “Praise be to God who saved me from death after the cowardly enemy targeted the house of my esteemed neighbors, the Al-Halaqawi family, which led to my injuries to my feet and hands, and tomorrow I will undergo surgery on my left foot.”

The Facebook user Sumayya Umm Sohaib posted a video showing a man bleeding and in significant pain along with a young boy, also bleeding, being carried on a single stretcher to receive treatment outside of what the user identifies as the Kuwait Specialized Hospital in Rafah. At least two other injured people can be seen in the video. A different user, Faras Abu Shrkh, uploaded several photographs showing injured individuals arriving on stretchers and receiving treatment in what seems to be the same location. Two of these civilians can be seen in both the video and some of the photographs. However, as these images were included in another incident which occurred near Ali Mosque on the same day, it is unclear if the injuries occurred in this incident.

No publicly available information regarding the reportedly deceased individuals was available.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces.

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.

The victims were named as:

Wesam Rekhawi
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Faras abu shrkh

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    Source: Faras abu shrkh

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    Source: Faras abu shrkh

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    Source: Faras abu shrkh

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    Source: Faras abu shrkh

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    Source: Faras abu shrkh

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    Source: Faras abu shrkh

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Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISPT0537

Incident date

October 24, 2023

Location

منزل عائلة ابو رتيمة بتل السلطان غرب رفح, Abu Ratima family home in Tal al-Sultan, west of Rafah, Rafah, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

On Tuesday, October 24th 2023, it was reported that three civilians were killed and at least seven were injured, including four children, as a result of an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Abu Ratima family home in Tal al-Sultan, west of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Teleet Barhoum had posted on Facebook on the day of the alleged strike explaining that 52-year-old Fawzia Barhoum had died of her injuries.

Maslah Ziyade Abu Khatleh posted that his brother 90-year-old Hamad Ziyad Ismail Abu Khatla was also killed as a result of the alleged strike. A picture the elderly Hamad, dressed smartly in a traditional thawb, was included.

Abu Waleed Abu Ratima posted the day after the alleged strike describing how many of his family members were affected. He reported that Ahmed Abu Artemah, a journalist, had been injured in the alleged strike. Ahmed’s three children, Abdullah, Muhammad and Boutal had also been injured in the incident.

Abu Waleed Abu Ratima also wrote how his sisters Fatima and Banan Selmy were also injured, as well as his daughter Joud. He reported that Banan and Joud remained in intensive care along with Abdullah.

Another victim, a 66-year-old woman named Khairiyah Ahmed Mohammed Al-Akhras was killed in the incident.

Rafah City Official Account put the estimates of injuries at dozens, however, no other sources corroborated this claim.

Palestine News posted an image, taken by Doaa Khaled, of a young woman in distress, with a young girl crying and holding on to her, as they walk away from the site of the alleged airstrike.

Doaa Khaled herself added photos of the destruction caused by the alleged airstrike, with the images showing a large crater in the ground, a pool of blood and a building with the walls missing from two floors. Pictures also showed people helping two men walk away from the destruction, they were covered in dust but appeared uninjured.

One source, Husseyn Abu Tareq, reported in a post on Facebook that the family of Abu Khatla in Jordan, Rafah and the diaspora mourned the death of their relative Hamad Ziyad Ismail Abu Khatla and multiple sources, referring to him as “uncle”, posted prayers for him.

A relative of the victims, Abu Waleed Abu Ratimah, in a post on Facebook, mourned the death of Fawzia and asked people to pray for the recovery of Betoul, Abdullah and Joud, who remained in intensive care.

Reports explained how the house was situated behind the Al-Qadisiyah School and multiple sources reported that the house belonged to Khairy Abu Ratima.

The pictures showed that the reported strike occurred during the day.

The identities of Khairiyah Ahmed Mohammed Al-Akhras and Hamad Ziyad Ismail Abu Khatla have been reconciled with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities published on October 26, 2023.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces.

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.

The victims were named as:

Family members (8)

Fawzia Barhoum فوزيه برهوم
Adult female Possible match with MoH ID 930682745 killed
Amhed Abu Artemah أحمد ابو ارتيمه
Adult male injured
Abdullah عبدالله
Child male injured
Muhammad محمد
Child male injured
Batoul بتول
Child female injured
Fatima فاطمة
Age unknown female injured
Banan Selmy بنان سلمي
Age unknown female injured
Joud جود
Child female injured

The victims were named as:

Hamad Ziyad Ismail Abu Khatla حمد زياد إسماعيل أبو ختله
90 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 975562018
Khairiyah Ahmed Mohammed Al-Akhras خيريه أحمد محمد الاخرس
66 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 907792238

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–24
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Education
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Maslah Ziyade Abu Khatleh

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Palestine News

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Doaa Khaled

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Doaa Khaled

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Doaa Khaled

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Doaa Khaled

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Doaa Khaled

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • 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
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–24
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Education
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISPT0530

Incident date

October 23, 2023

Location

منزل عائلة أبو النجا بحي البرازيل في رفح, Abu al-Naja family residence, Brazil neighborhood, Rafah, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

At least 16 people, including 11 children, were killed and a number of others injured after an alleged Israeli bombardment on the al-Naja residence in the Brazil neighbourhood of Rafah at dawn on October 23rd, 2023.

The patriarch of the family, 59-year-old Hosni Abu al-Naja was killed along with his wife, 49-year old Yasmine Mahmoud Abu Naja. Their son, 30-year-old Muhammad Hosni Ahmed Abu Naja, was killed, as was his wife, 24-year-old Maysoon Jasser Muhammad Khafaja. Hosni and Yasmine’s daughters – 15-year-old Batoul Hosni Ahmed Abu Naja, 13-year-old Maryam and 12-year-old Aya – were also killed, as were their two sons: 10-year-old Zechariah and 7-year-old Isa.

Along with their children, several of Hosni and Yasmine’s grandchildren were also killed. 10-year-old Ibrahim Islam Ali Abu Sanjar was killed along with his three brothers—Mustafa Islam Ali Abu Sanjar (2 or 3), Malik Islam Ali Abu Sanjar (6), Anas Islam Ali Abu Sanjar (5)—and sister, 8-year-old Yusra Islam Ali Abu Sanjar. It is unclear as to what became of the parents of these children.

Two others were killed: 26-year-old Israa Khalil Ahmed Baroud and 15-year-old Osama Suleiman Brahma.

Information regarding the deceased has been relatively scant. Hosni Abu al-Naja has been described as both a Sheikh and professor. A post on Facebook from Abdullah al-Oms described him as a “good man” and “honourable.”

Sources attached photographs of Mohammad and his father. While social media condolence posts were brief in their descriptions, multiple lamented the loss of members of the family, attaching prayers and hopes for heavenly rest.

Middle East Observer stated that the victims were “transferred to Abu Youssef Al-Najjar and Al-Kuwaiti hospitals.” Multiple sources mentioned “injuries” but did not specify how many injuries.

According to Afnan Kholoud Nahed, the location which was struck, Hosni Abu Al-Naga’s house, was completely destroyed.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces.

Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023.

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 incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (14)

Hosni Abu al-Naja حسني أبو النجا
59 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 905117982
Yasmine Mahmoud Abu Naja ياسمين محمود أبو نجا
49 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 900206343
Muhammad Hosni Ahmed Abu Naja محمد حسني أحمد أبو نجا
30 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 804483493
Maysoon Jasser Muhammad Khafaja ميسون جاسر محمد خفاجة
24 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 404589376
Batoul Hosni Ahmed Abu Naja بتول حسني أحمد أبو نجا
15 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 422359497
Maryam Abu Naja مريم حسني أحمد ابو نجا
13 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 429283906
Aya Abu Naja آية حسني أحمد ابو نجا
12 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 430177055
Zechariah Abu Naja زكريا حسني أحمد ابو نجا
10 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 434056487
Isa Abu Naja عيسى حسني أحمد ابو نجا
7 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 437079338
Ibrahim Islam Ali Abu Sanjar إبراهيم إسلام علي أبو سنجر
10 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 433752649
Mustafa Islam Ali Abu Sanjar مصطفي إسلام علي أبو سنجر
2 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 445245277
Malik Islam Ali Abu Sanjar مالك إسلام علي أبو سنجر
6 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 438176265
Anas Islam Ali Abu Sanjar أنس إسلام علي أبو سنجر
5 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 440693190
Yusra Islam Ali Abu Sanjar يسرى إسلام علي أبو سنجر
8 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 435147434

The victims were named as:

Israa Khalil Ahmed Baroud إسراء خليل أحمد بارود
26 years old female killed Matched to MoH ID 402911077
Osama Suleiman Brahma أسامة سليمان براهمة
15 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 422363440

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • (11 children3 women2 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.
  • Impact
    Education
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abdallah al-oms

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Adel abu naja abu musa

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad hasan al-tahrawi

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Adli abu taha

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • 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
    16
  • (11 children3 women2 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.
  • Impact
    Education
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISPT0500

Incident date

October 23, 2023

Location

مخيم الشاطئ, Al-Shati camp, Gaza City, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

On October 23rd, 2023, Civil Defense crews were allegedly struck by Israeli forces during rescue operations in Al-Shati camp. According to Shehab News Agency, a member of the Civil Defense was injured while attempting to clear rubble from homes destroyed by Israeli aircraft. Further information regarding identification or the state of injuries has not been made available.

An image attached to the report showed a man on a stretcher, though his injuries did not appear severe.

Almayadine and Al Jazeera News corroborated the above claim, stating that Civil Defense crews were bombed while transporting the injured. There were few additional details. This assessment will be updated if and when more specific details emerge.

Where sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to Israeli forces.

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.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @ShehabAgency

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISPT0482

Incident date

October 22, 2023

Location

منزل لعائلة الصعيدي غربي رفح, Saudi District, west of Rafah, Rafah, the Gaza Strip

Airwars assessment

On the 22nd of October 2023, an alleged Israeli projectile hit the house of the al-Saidi family in the Saudi district, west of Rafah, reportedly killing one civilian man and causing injuries to others.

Moataz Abu Talekh was reported as the young man killed in several posts. Multiple Facebook posts include photos alongside tributes to him, including Abu Khaled Al-Turbani who posted a condolence message for his “brother and beloved” Moataz. He was taken to al-Kuwaiti hospital but did not survive, according to Voice of the Nation Radio.

Multiple posts also report injuries, but do not name or number individuals injured. No further details were available regarding the current condition of these civilians.

Airwars was not able to match Moataz Abu Talekh’s name with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of nearly 7000 victims’ names and ID numbers released on October 26th.

All sources that identify a belligerent report that the belligerent was the Israeli military. One of these sources, Ma’an News Agency, alleges that the incident was an airstrike.

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.

The victims were named as:

Moataz Abu Talekh معتز ابو تيلخ
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Tariq bin Abdul Aziz

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu Khaled Al-Turbani

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 attacker
    Israeli Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]