Between 15 and 18 civilians were killed and up to 23 were reportedly injured, including four children, when an alleged Israeli bomb hit the four-storey home of the Abu Hayya family on October 12th 2023.

The house was located in the Al-Saftawi area, in the northern Gaza Strip. Shehab Agency reported that there were casualties in neighboring houses as well.

Local sources reported that more than 40 people were inside the building when the incident occurred, while nabd.com reported that 40 people were harmed in the attack – though did not differentiate between fatalities and injuries.

By that evening, medical teams had been able to recover between 15 and 18 bodies from the rubble. @EsamLotf reported that many of those killed were women, children and the elderly. Mohammad Khatib made a Facebook post the following day, on October 13th, claiming that 23 victims still remained under the rubble.

Some of the victims were named by various sources as Ahmed Abu Hayya (Abu Wael, 28 years old), who was described by a neighbor as humble and good-natured, and Ghada Abu Hayya (46 years old) who was the director of Nusaybah Bint Kaab School; the school made a Facebook post mourning her death describing her as the “best leader”. Abdul Rahman Abu Hayya (22 years old), who was described as a beloved friend and brother, and his family (it is unclear how many of his family were killed). Jihad Abu Hayya (Abu Shaher, 49 years old), who was described as kind-hearted, Khaled Abu Hayya (Abu Malik, 29 years old), who was described as a dear friend and Ibrahim Abu Hayya (22 years old), who was engaged to the sister of Emad Nidal.

On Thursday evening, four injured children were taken to Al Awda Hospital in Jabalia after the bombing, according to the medical facilities’ own post.

Multiple sources reported that the incident took place without prior warning.

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

All named victims have been identified among the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of almost 7,000 names released on October 26th, 2023.