On October 21st, 2023, at least 15 people were reportedly killed and 40 others were injured as a result of an alleged Israeli military bombing of a house for the Zorob family in the Zorob roundabout area in Rafah. Many local sources, including Facebook posts from Samer Zorob, Diwan Al Zaroub and Rami Saleh Zoroub, reported on the bombing, and gave accounts of the corresponding casualties. Though a post from Twitter/X user @5newspal stated that 16 civilians had been killed, only 14 names were publicly available.
The strike killed 35-year-old Musa Mahmoud Zoroub, and his two children: 6-year-old Judy Musa Mahmoud Zoroub and 9-year-old Mahmoud Musa Mahmoud Zoroub.
Three siblings (based on their family name) were among those killed: 28-year-old Fidaa Mahmoud Musa Zoroub, 29-year-old Fatima Mahmoud Musa Zoroub and 15-year-old Iman Mahmoud Musa Zoroub. Safa PS News and the Zorob family website stated that 8 others had died as a result of the bombing, including 31-year-old Sabah Ahmed Musa Zoroub, 53-year-old Jamalaat Khalil Muhammad Zoroub and 32-year-old Mamdouh Musa Zoroub.
Among those killed were also several children: 4-year-old Sewar Rizq Suleiman Zoroub, 2-year-old Lana Ezzedine Ahmed Zoroub, and an infant, 2-month-old Tahani Ezzedine Ahmed Zoroub.
Three brothers were also killed: 7-year-old Osama Rizq Jumah Al-Nahal Zoroub, 11-year-old Anas Rizq Judah Al-Nahal Zoroub and 5-year-old Adam Rizq Al-Nahal Zoroub. While Osama and Anas’ deaths were announced soon after the strike, Adam’s death was announced by Safa News on October 30th. Anas had been widely lauded by family and friends for having memorized the Quran. Included in a Facebook post from Emtiaz al-Nahhal, a video shows the boys’ father, Rizq Zuroub, caressing Anas’ face; Anas is wrapped in a body bag. Their aunt can also be seen crying over the bodies.
Multiple images showed the devastation after the strike: a very graphic photograph included shows a volunteer carrying the remains of a human body. Other images showed the left-behind belongings of the children, including backpacks and a cartoon balloon.
In a Facebook post, Mahdi Zoroub spoke of the rescue attempts, reporting that 12 dead had been recovered and search efforts were still ongoing for other missing persons. The post also included images of the destroyed buildings, showing it completely reduced to rubble. In multiple images a large crater, seemingly as a result of the strike, is visible.
A post from Samer Zoroub included an image of a row of 12 bodies wrapped in body bags. A post from Facebook user Eekad attached a video published by journalist Abdullah Al-Attar which showed the Palestinian citizen Adel Zoroub losing more than ten members of his family with 6 still reported to be under the rubble.
A post from Muhammad Mamdouh reported that 40 people were injured when the Zoroub family home was bombed.
When sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Israeli military.
All names except Adam Rizq Al-Nahal Zoroub have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023.