On Friday, 13 October 2023, five children from the Al-Astal family were killed and at least two others were injured in an alleged Israeli airstrike on the Astal family home opposite the Production Bank in Central Khan Younis.

Sawaed Gaza reported that there was an “aerial bombardment near the homes of the Astal and Shaat families, opposite the Production Bank in Khan Younis”, with Safa News reporting “Martyrs, missing persons, and injuries in the bombing”, and Al Jazeera adding “the martyrdom of a Palestinian baby and 4 women.”

Relatives of the family posted to social media that the home was bombed without warning, killing “a number of citizens and a number of injuries.” Nidal Mustafa al-Astal reported that four were killed, along with a “number of wounded.” Nabd al-Qarara reported on the death of two children, Joan Yahya Youssef al-Astal (5), and her younger sister Mian Yahya al-Astal (2 months), adding that their mother and brother were injured. The Astal family posted the names of the other victims – a 16 year old girl named Abeer Mahmoud Ahmed Ziyadi al-Astal, and 1 year old Janan Hamed Nasser al-Astal, adding that the funeral prayer would take place at 4:30 at the Austria Stadium. Sources on social media mourned the deaths, with Sliman al-Astal mentioning the death of a sibling of Janan named Joud Hamed Nasser Zare’ Al-Astal (4) and saying “Birds of paradise/My brother’s daughters, may God have mercy on you and go to heaven, God willing/Janan and Joud”, sharing a picture of the two children, and others sharing heartbreaking images of the infant Mian al-Astal who was killed.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strikes to Israeli forces. A post from Shawqi Maghnam added that the house was demolished “without warning”.

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