Shortly before 17:00 on Friday, November 3rd, 2023, five civilian members of the Abu Omar family, including at least three women, were killed, and a number of others injured, by an alleged Israeli airstrike on their family home, located near the cultural centre in the town Bani Suhalia, east of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. A sixth family member has been identified as a militant and was also killed.
Safa News was the first to report the incident at 17:05, writing about five civilians killed as a result of the attack. Though sources individually reported five deaths resulting from the strike, six names have been released in conjunction with the bombardment.
49-year-old woman Ismat Ahmed Hussein Abu Omar “Umm Muhammad” was killed alongside her children: a 19-year-old son, Abdallah Hamdan Suleiman Abu Omar, and daughters Manal Hamdan Suleiman Abu Omar and 32-year-old Amani Hamdan Suleiman Abu Saada (Abu Omar). Amani’s husband, 36-year-old Dr. Ahmed Majed Abd Rabbo Abu Saada (a militant), was also killed, as was 65-year-old Rasmiya Salem Khalil Qudaih.
When Airwars first published this incident on January 17, 2025, no open sources were found to suggest that Dr. Ahmed Majed Abd Rabbo Abu Saada was a militant. As such, Ahmed Abu Saada 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 February 25, 2026, a Telegram account affiliated with Hamas’ armed wing, Al-Qessam Brigades, published a tribute to Ahmed Abu Saada , identifying him as a “commander”. The post also said that Ahmed Abu Saada was “martyred” on November 14, 2023. However, reviewing the full name, as well as an image shared by Al-Qessam, Airwars determined that the individual named in the militant tribute was the same Ahmed Abu Saada recorded in this incident. As such, Airwars updated Ahmed Abu Saada ‘s status from civilian to militant, and changed the minimum number of civilians reportedly killed in this incident from six to five.
In a Facebook post, user “Al-Raqab family gathering” (تجمع عائلـة الرقب)”, seemingly a relative of the deceased offered their condolences asking “God Almighty to have mercy on them and to grant them a place in His spacious gardens”. Another user, Amal Hadad, prayed that “God have mercy on them” and shared two photographs of Dr. Ahmed Abu Saada; one, an informal shot where Ahmed sports sunglasses and a blue shirt, and another of him smiling and suited at what appears to be a conference.
Facebook user “Qadih family in the homeland and abroad” (عائلة قديح في الوطن والشتات) mourned the loss of Rasmiya, clarifying that she was married to Mr. Nazim Qudaih Abu Suleiman, and writing that with her loss, there is “no power or strength except with God”.
According to Wafa News, the strike was conducted by Israeli forces, referred to as “the occupation”. Though sources mentioned “injuries”, none quantified how many had been wounded.
Where possible, names have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) lists, which include national ID numbers. Since October 26, 2023, the MoH has released six lists, along with an additional list of medical professionals, which was released on September 17, 2024. Airwars matches individuals to the first list where their names appeared. In regard to this incident, names are matched to the second ‘Palestinian Ministry of Health List of Fatalities in Gaza’ list, which was released on January 7th, 2024.
Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Israeli military.