Shortly before 9:02 AM on Saturday, October 28th, 2023, an alleged Israeli airstrike hit the Al-Kurdi family home located behind the Jabalia Services Club in the Northern Gaza Strip and killed nine identified civilians, making up three generations, and injured many civilians.
Jameel Saad Al-Kurdi was killed alongside his 44-year-old wife Manal Al-Kurdi, and their youngest son, 11-year-old Saad Jameel Al-Kurdi. Jameel and Manal’s 31-year-old son, Manar Murad Al-Kurdi (a militant), was also killed, alongside his wife, Ruba Maher Al-Kurdi, and their young daughter, Ghina Manar Al-Kurdi. The family is survived by Abeer, daughter of Jameel and Manal, and sister of Manar and Saad.
Hala Hossam Tayseer Al-Kurdi, Hana Murad Al-Kurdi, Mahmoud Murad Al-Kurdi, and Haya Murad Al-Kurdi were also killed in the strike. At the time of writing, Airwars is unable to confirm the relationship between Hala, Hana, Mahmoud, Haya, and the rest of the Al-Kurdi family. This assessment will be updated if more information becomes available.
Members of the Al-Kurdi family, Azaad Al-Kurdi, Lana Al-Kurdi, Bilal Al-Kurdi, and Howyda Al-Kordi all reported that an unknown number of people, including women and children, remained trapped under the rubble after the bombing.
According to the Al-Kurdi family Facebook page and a Facebook post by a member of the Al-Kurdi family, Mustafa Abood, the strike initially killed seven people and caused many injuries, including two persons who were severely injured. Multiple other sources, including a Facebook post by the Al-Kurdi Center, reported that nine members of the Al-Kurdi family were killed. It is likely that Manar Jameel Al-Kurdi and Hala Hossam Murad Al-Kurdi were the two persons severely injured, who later passed away as a result of their injuries. According to a Facebook post by Samia Husin, an administrator of the “Kurdistan Rêbaza Barzaniyê Nemir” page, the Jordanian Kurdish Cultural Association reported that the entirety of the Al-Kurdi family in the Jabalia refugee camp died in the strike.
While Mustafa Abood and the Al-Kurdi-Gaza Facebook page both reported that the strike caused many injuries, the names and further information about the persons hurt but not killed by the bombing was not covered in sources available to Airwars.
The Al-Kurdi family was deeply mourned by their loved ones. The Al-Kurdi Center and Samia Husin posted many photos of the Al-Kurdi family walking on the beach or going to mosque, as well as a picture of young Ghani Manar Al-Kurdi beaming as she wears a tutu. Salah Eldien Nabris and Ahmad Al-Saifi, nephews of Jameel Saad Al-Kurdi, along with many other relatives of the Al-Kurdi family, posted prayers and obituaries, wishing for them to reach paradise.
The Al-Kurdi family home was behind the Jabalia Services Club in the Jabalia refugee camp in North Gaza. A photo posted by Mustafa Abood shows men climbing across extensive rubble. The Jordanian Kurds Facebook group, Bayan Mk, and relatives of the Al-Kurdi family all reported that multiple people remained trapped and possibly injured or killed under the rubble.
Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on September 15, 2024.
Where sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to Israeli forces.
Note on militancy
When Airwars first published this incident, no open sources were found to suggest that Manar Murad Al-Kurdi was a militant. As such, Manar Murad 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 October 24, 2026, a number o Telegram accounts affiliated with Hamas' armed wing, Al-Qessam Brigades, published and re-shared a tribute to Manar Murad, identifying him as a fighter As such, Airwars updated Manar Murad's status from civilian to militant and changed the minimum number of civilians reportedly killed in this incident from ten to nine.