On Saturday, October 21st, 2023, an alleged Israeli bombardment hit the Abu Jabr family home in Nuseirat camp, Gaza Strip, killing the wife of a commander of “the Central Brigade”, Nabil Abu Jabr, alongside their four children, including a son who has been recorded with a contested civilian status, and a daughter under the age of 18.
The 45-year old wife of Nabil Abu Jabr, Ghada Abdul Azim Hamad Al-Qatshan Abu Jabr (Umm Bakr), was killed alongside her four children: her eldest son, 22-year-old Bakr Nabil Abu Jabr (contested militant status), a 21-year old son Muhammad Nabil Abu Jabr, a 12-year old son Baraa Ashraf Abu Jabr, and a 17-year old daughter Shahad Ashraf Abu Jabr. Nabil Abu Jabr was not reported to have been killed in this incident, and at least one source referred to the home as belonging to the “martyr” Nabil Abu Jabr, indicating that he was likely killed previously. This information will be updated if and when further details emerge.
When Airwars first published this incident on April 1, 2024, no open sources were found to suggest that Bakr Nabil Abu Jabr was a militant. As such, Bakr Nabil Abu Jabr 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 17, 2026, a Telegram account affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)’s armed wing, published a tribute to someone named Bakr Nabil Abu Jabr. The tribute included an image, which shows a slight young man with dark hair. However, Airwars was not able to find images shared by local sources to confirm that the individual named and photographed by PIJ is the same individual named in this incident. As such, Airwars updated Bakr Nabil Abu Jabr’s status from civilian to contested, meaning that his death is recorded in the upper but not lower range of civilians killed in this incident. This will be updated should additional information become available.
Posts shared on social media by relatives and friends expressed deep sorrow and condolences for the family. They described the Abu Jabr family members as generous and esteemed individuals and highlighted their impact on the community. The posts also referenced Islamic teachings about patience and the belief that those who die in the cause of God are alive with Him.
Israa Fayez wrote on Facebook that the late Ghada was her aunt, while Safoa Said Sh mourned the death of her uncle’s wife. Both relatives expressed their grief and devastation over the loss of Ghada and her children. Eslam M. Tawil remembered the young boy Baraa as “his polite student” and attached an image of a boy in a yellow hoodie. Samer Qashlan and the Nuseirat camp account on Facebook also paid tributes to the young boy.
The sources did not identify the belligerent, but the Airwars has matched all of the names of some of the civilians killed with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on October 26th, 2023. This incident has been graded as a likely strike, and civilian harm status as Fair.