First reported at 07:46 AM on Saturday 4 November 2023, four members of the Makki family were reportedly killed when an alleged Israeli aircraft bombed their home near al-Isra tower on Omar al-Mukhtar Street in the Sabra area of Gaza City.
The four members of the family who reportedly lost their lives in the attack were 68-year-old Dr. Mohammed Refaat Anees Makki, his wife 58-year-old Aida Shokri Shaker Shbeir (Makki), their son 26-year-old Dr. Aness Mohammed Refaat Makki and their daughter 33-year-old Dr. Amal Mohammed Refaat Makki.
Shehab News Agency was the first to report the alleged Israeli airstrike via Twitter/X at 07:46 AM reporting ”martyrs” as a result of the airstrike.
Tarek Yasser Abou Shakra, cousin of Dr. Mohammed, shared a long message about the loss of his family members via Facebook. He described Mohammed, a neurosurgeon, as “a gentle man, sweet in company, cheerful in face, a giving person by nature…who does not withhold anything from anyone.” Tarek remembered Aida, a professor, saying that she often selflessly put the needs of her family above her own. Writing of Dr. Aness, Tarek reported that he was an “outstanding student” and one of the best at Mansoura University where he studied dentistry. Tarek said that Aness was, like his father, also known for having a “good character” and regularly attending prayer services. Tarek further praised Aness for memorising “the Book of Allah”. Tarek also reported that Dr. Amal, a pharmacist, had been preparing to travel for her wedding just prior to her death. Overall, Tarek reported that the Makki family served their local community “with seriousness and sincerity.”
Tarek also shared a number of photos of the family, including one showing four bodies wrapped in white cloth being buried together and a sign made out of cardboard marking their grave.
In the same Facebook post, Tarek decried the killing of his cousin and his family firmly stating that they were civilians and not members of Hamas and that the Israeli military should not have attacked them: “Here is my question […]: ‘Were Dr. Mohamed Refaat and his honorable family ‘Hamas members’ to be eliminated in such a ‘horrible way’?!’ […] They were ‘civilians.”
Other relatives and friends also mourned the loss of their family members. Lima Makki remembered her “dear uncle” Mohammed and “beloved cousin” Amal, while others, such as Adham Makki, said that with their deaths the family “preceded us to Heaven.” Mustafa Alqedra remembered Aness as a “beloved doctor and writer” and asked that “Allah have mercy” on him. A post from Nedaa Mekky, niece of Dr. Mohammed, shared photos of the aftermath of the attack showing the home completely collapsed in a large pile of rubble and twisted metal as Red Crescent volunteers scoured the area for remains.
Moein Abu Ramadan, the mother of Amal’s fiancé, Hazem, mourned her death on Facebook, calling her a “second daughter” and offering “condolences to the entire Makki family on their deaths.”
Various photos shared by relatives showed Mohammed, an older man, his son Aness, a young man, and Amal, a young woman. A photo shared by Facebook user Moein Abu Ramadan shows a smiling Amal in a white and purple hijab, her father Mohammed and another man smiling behind her. Tayseer Zain El Deen shared a photograph of a bearded Aness in a teal top. Another, shared by Mohamed Abdelmawgoud, shows Aness smiling by the sea.
According to a Facebook post by Raed Elhelou, the family was survived by another daughter, the wife of Raed.
Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Israeli Military.
All four 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 is matching individuals to the first list where their name appeared. In regard to this incident, names are matched to the third ‘Palestinian Ministry of Health List of Fatalities in Gaza’ list, which was released on April 1st, 2024 and the additional list of medical professionals.