On Tuesday October 10th 2023, at least seven civilians, including three journalists, were killed, and at least two civilians were injured in an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Babel building in al Mouasasat Street (Institution Street) close to the port in Gaza City in the Gaza Strip. One other individual were was killed and has been recorded as having a contested civilian status.
According to a Facebook post by Saeleem Hosny, a “group of journalists and a group of neighbors were killed, and many people were injured.” A neighbour, Abdul Abu Malik, wrote on Facebook that the “number of martyrs and wounded rose” and that some people were still missing after the strike. More than a month later, on November 30, 2023, a Twitter/X user Magda Gad wrote that “ten people were killed in the attack on the building, including three journalists, referring to the testimony of Bilal Abu Hatzira who rescued bodies from the ruins that night.
Muhammad Haboush posted the names of five victims of the attack belonging to three different families on Facebook, adding that “with hearts that believe in God’s will and destiny, I extend my deepest condolences and sympathy to my neighbors.” Islam Mahfouz Khalaf, 42, was killed together with his younger brother Muhammed Mahfouz Khalaf, 28. Ibrahim, the father-in-law of the late Islam, revealed that Islam was survived by his pregnant wife Rola, their daughter Taghreed and son Majd, posting on social media: “I searched among the vocabulary for words to say to my pregnant daughter, Rola, and her eldest daughter, Taghreed, and to her son, Majd, Sons of Islam, but I lost the vocabulary.. I lost the words.. I lost the letters.. I was trapped. Tears fell.”
Majdy Anan wrote in a Facebook testimony: “My cousin’s children were martyred today, Islam Khalaf and Muhammad Khalaf”, sharing the images of the two young men, one in a brown jacket and other in a Palestinian scarf. Raed M Khalaf also paid a tribute to the two deceased brothers who were his cousins.
Among the victims killed in the attack were 58-year-old Hani Issa Hasouna (Abu Hossam), and his nephew, an engineer Shadi Suhail Hassouna. The Haboush Family shared a testimony on Facebook, extending “deepest condolences and sympathy to the honorable Hassouna family on the martyrdom of their sons”.
Hani Issa Hasouna was remembered in Facebook posts by his nephew Nemer Alrubaei and by his friend Abdul Qadir Idris. The latter shared an image of a grey-haired man in glasses standing in front of microphones. Abu Qadir Idris also shared in his post that Hani Hassouna was a member of the Prisoner’s Committee of the National and Islamic forces, and a Leader of the Popular Front General Command. Based on this information Airwars identified the late Hani Issa Hasouna as a militant.
Facebook user Jamal Awni Farwana remembered Hani, writing "We emphasize that the martyr Abu Hossam was always present and actively participating in solidarity events and vigils in support of the prisoners, dedicating his life to the struggle and sacrifice from a young age." Review of the tributes published in honour of Hani Issa to not indicate that he was involved in militant activity, and was rather active with PFLP's political wing. As such, he has been recorded as a civilian. This will be updated should additional information become available.
Hani’s nephew, engineer Shadi Suhail Hassouna appeared in the images as a smiling middle-aged man in front of the mosque. According to Ali Rezeq Nijim, Hani’s son Hossam Hani Issa Hassouna was injured in the bombing. A Facebook post from Yahya Al Sayed identified his father as one of the injured, “after he was hit with shrapnel in the shoulder”.
While Hossam was injured in this strike, reports indicate that he was later killed on November 7, 2023 in Gaza City.
One more victim of the attack was a young 27 year old man, Raafat al-Hato. His death was also mourned on social media, with his brother and friend Mohammed Abo Qass sharing that Raafat “had a beautiful smile and a kind heart.” Indeed the late Raafat appears on the images as a smiling athletic bearded man. Mohandessin Coffee Shop wrote in its Facebook tribute that “with all verses of glory, pride and pride, we mourn our martyr, the martyr of the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood, the heroic martyr / Raafat Tawfiq Al-Hato.”
On 10 October, the PJS said in a statement that three Palestinian journalists – Saeed Radwan Saeed Al-Tawil (37), Director of Al-Khamisa News Agency, photojournalist Mohammed Rizq Sobh (35), and photographer Hisham Al-Nawahjh (27) for Khabar News Agency in Gaza, were all killed by an Israeli airstrike that hit a residential building near Gaza City’s fishing port. Alhurra News reported that the three journalists were standing dozens of meters away from the building, to cover an expected Israeli airstrike on a residential building. It was reported that one of the residents had received a phone call from the Israeli army requesting its evacuation in preparation for its destruction, but according to journalists who witnessed the incident, Israeli warplanes struck the building where the journalists stopped to document the bombing.
In an article published by the National Palestinian Liberation Movement, or ‘Fatah’, website, Mohammed Rizq Sobh was remembered by his friend and colleague Tareq as a vibrant heart, possessing an unforgettable cheerful spirit, and a lens that never missed people’s pain. He knew the camera might not protect him, but he insisted on making it his weapon in the face of injustice. He always said: ‘If we don’t report the truth, who will?’
A post shared by the Twitter/X account Middle East Buka included a screenshot of a Facebook post from user Othman Yaser Abu Eram. In the post, Othman referred to Mohammed as a “son of the #Fatah_movement” and “son of the #military_wing”. While it seems likely that Mohammed was affiliated with the Fatah party/movement, such affiliation does not necessarily indicate militant affiliation. Airwars reviewed tens of other posts shared in memory of Mohammed, and the one shared by Othman was the only one to reference any kind of military affiliation. As such, Mohammed has been recorded as having a contested civilian status, meaning that his death is included in the upper but no lower ranges of civilians reportedly killed in this incident. This will be updated should additional information become available.
Many local sources reported that the three journalists had been killed, but a few sources were initially conflicted if two were still in intensive care. @ehajjar and Journalist Khaled Al Qadi stated that journalist Hisham Al-Nawajeh was seriously injured and “still in the operating room”, and @Shehab Agency tweeted a statement from the Government Media office in Gaza, “we mourn the two fellow journalists, Muhammad Sobh and Saeed Al- Taweel, who were killed as a result of being targeted by [Israeli] aircraft while covering the evacuation of one of the buildings threatened by bombing in western Gaza, and we wish recovery to our colleague Hisham Al-Nawajah, who was with them and who is currently receiving treatment”. Whereas Hadeel El Tibi reported that journalist Saeed Al-Taweel was injured and “the news is conflicting between his martyrdom and that he is still in intensive care”. However, images were later posted of the funeral for Saeed and the Ministry of Health recorded Hisham’s death.
Saleem Hosny reported that while residents in the area were warned of a bombing on Burj Hajji, the bombing of the Babel building in the same street came without warning, “in a surprise move.” Facebook user Rushdi Aleeb wrote in a post that the Babel building was “razed to the ground”, sharing the pain of his loss: “My house, my life, and my money were completely destroyed.” He shared apocalyptic pictures and a video of the rubble left from what used to be the Babel building.
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 the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces. Numerous local sources indicated that the attack happened without a prior warning.