In the early hours of Friday June 7th, 2024, an alleged Israeli airstrike hit the home of Professor Hassan Al Rafati, located behind the government clinic, north of Al Maghazi refugee camp in Deir Al Balah. The strike killed six members of the Al Maghari family, including two young children. Six civilians were also reportedly injured.

The bombing killed 55-year-old Bassam Suleiman Al Maghari alongside his wife 51-year-old Reda Shahada Al Maghari, their son 30-year-old Suleiman Bassam Al Maghari, their daughter 28-year-old Fida Bassam Al Maghari, and Fida’s children – her five-year-old son named Khalil Mohammed Khalil Asalia and her three or four-year-old daughter named Sara Mohammed Khalil Asalia.

Multiple family members posted tributes grieving the loss of their family members.

Facebook user Oday Assaliya mourned the loss of his uncle Bassam Al Maghari, his aunt and their children, his cousins. He attached images of the victims, including an image of Bassam Al Maghari, an elderly man with grey hair and a moustache along with his son Suleiman, a bearded man in his early 30s. He also shared graphic images of the family members in white shrouds and the funeral.

Khalil and Sara, children of the Al Maghari and Asalia families, were five and three or four years old. They are survived by their father, Mohammed Khalil Asalia, who described his wife and children as “my heart, my life, my soul”. Their aunt, Nabhan Al Maghari, reported that Khalil Mohammed Khalil Asalia was the first grandson in the Al Maghari family. She called her sister Fida “My love, my soul, and the pulse of my heart” and her niece and nephew “the birds of heaven”. Oday Assaliya shared the images of Khalil and Sara, two smiling young children.

The Al Maghari family had already been displaced from Rafah, and moved to the Al Maghazi camp area to seek shelter from the bombing. According to a Facebook post by Abu Al Abd dated June 7, 2024, additional members of the Al Maghari family died from a strike at Nuseirat refugee camp in addition to the six casualties from the Al Maghazi strike.

The “Gaza son dakika” Facebook group and Twitter user @youssefshabat06 reported the strike caused a number of injuries, while Facebook user Rachid Abbas reported the strike injured six civilians.

According to a Facebook post by Rachid Abbad, the airstrike was intended to hit the apartment of Walaa Al Rafati, located in Hassan Al Rafati’s building. The post reported that Walaa Al Rafati was a “liberated prisoner”. Although sources such as the Facebook group “Gaza son dakika” and Twitter user @youssefshabat06 reported that people were missing after the strike, and no sources found by Airwars claimed that the strike killed Walaa Al Rafati.

While some sources described the location as being “north” of Al Maghazi camp, a post from Rachid Abbas identified the location as “behind the Al-Maghazi Services Club in Al Maghazi camp”.

All names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health list of fatalities in Gaza released on July 24th 2024.

When sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to Israeli forces.