On October 9th 2023 the home of the Al-Lahham family was allegedly hit by Israeli airstrikes, reportedly killing up to 19 civilians, including at least 13 civilian members of the Al-Laham family, and one child was reportedly injured. The bombardment took place in Al-Mawasi, west of Khan Yunis Governorate, south of the Gaza Strip. A 14th member of the Al-Laham family was killed and has been identified as a militant.

Initial sources reported that 11 civilians were killed but later the Al-Isa Al-Laham Facebook account posted 14 names of the Al-Laham family who were killed in the attack: Najiya Saqr Al-Laham (53 years old, female), Saleh Zuhair Al-Laham (19 years old, male), Ahmed Zuhair Al-Laham (17 years old, male), Hassan Zuhair Al-Laham (11 years old, male), Fawzi Zuhair Al-Laham (37 years old, male), Maysaa Zuhair Al-Laham (21 years old, female), Youssef Fawzi Al-Laham (four years old, male), Mona Fawzi Al-Laham (seven years old, female), Saeed Nabil Al-Laham (28 years old, male, a militant), Shaima Zuhair Al-Laham (23 years old, female), Ezzedine Saeed Al-Lahham (three years old, male), Shaima Saeed Al-Laham (less than a year old, female), Haifa Al Laham (32 years old, female) and Youssef Mohammed Ahmed Al-Laham (six years old, male). The bodies of the victims were held at Nasser Hospital.

When Airwars first published this incident on November 1, 2023, no open sources were found to suggest that Saeed Nabil Al-Laham was a militant. As such, Saeed Nabil Al-Laham was recorded as a civilian. This was in line with Airwars’ methodology which is employed across all conflicts we document, and informed by international standards regarding the ‘presumption of civilian status‘. Specifically, as outlined by the International Committee of the Red Cross, civilian status is assumed until evidence is identified to the contrary.

On July 4, 2026, a Telegram account affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)’s armed wing, published a tribute to Saeed Nabil Al-Laham, identifying him as a fighter. As such, Airwars updated Saeed Nabil Al-Laham’s status from civilian to militant, and changed the minimum number of civilians reportedly killed in this incident from 14 to 13.

A Facebook post from Hussam Khalifa identified the home which was “targeted” as the house of their uncle, Khan Yunis municipal engineer Ahmed Khalafallah, and put the death toll from the Al-Laham family at 20 killed.

Multiple sources reported of injuries, and Mohammed Abu Adham posted on Facebook a photo of an injured child, Fulla Al-Laham, recovering in a hospital bed, adding that they are now without a family.

Every victim name mentioned by sources were found by Airwars researchers within the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces. Jafra posted on Twitter/X that the ambulances which rushed to the scene were also attacked. This incident has been assessed separately by Airwars in case number ISPT0075a.