During the night of Thursday, 24 July 2025, at least four people, including two children, were killed and at least six others injured when an alleged Israeli helicopter launched a missile attack on the tents of displaced people in the Yarmouk Market Camp to the west of Gaza City. A fifth person was killed and has been identified as a militant. The attack reportedly hit tents belonging to the Abu Harbid and Sahweil families.
Amongst those killed in this attack were prominent Palestinian photojournalist and cameraman, 34-year-old Adam Zakaria Abu Harbid. Moatasem Nidal Sahweil (a militant), 29 or 31, was also killed as the Sahweil family tent neighboured that of the Abu Harbid family. Azhar Ahmed Mahmoud al-Arabid, 32, was also reportedly killed alongside her two sons, Muhammad Mahmoud al-Arabid, 12, and Muayad Mahmoud al-Arabid, only seven-or-eight-years-old at the time of this death.
Those injured in the attack were named as Hanin Rafiq al-Hamadin Shanan, wife of Adam, who was reportedly seriously injured while their two children sustained moderate injuries. Mahmoud al-Arabid, husband of Azhar and father to Muhammad and Muayad, was also injured. On Facebook, the sister of Azhar, Nadreen Ahmed, added that more of Azhar and Mahmoud’s sons were injured in the attack but did not give additional details.
Adam was Director of Photographers at Al-Quds Today TV and a cameraman and photojournalist himself. He was the son of Palestinian journalist Zakaria Abu Harbid and originally from Beit Hanoun.
In a video shared by Al-Quds honouring their colleague, an eyewitness reported that the missile was launched during the night when the majority of people in the camp were asleep. They state that six people were killed in the attack and many injured. The woman providing her testimony reported that everyone was sleeping when a sudden loud noise from the strike woke many who rushed to see what had happened. Multiple sources claimed that Adam’s tent was specifically attacked on 24 July 2025, following repeated incidents where journalists and media professionals were attacked throughout the conflict in Gaza.
According to TRT News and multiple other sources, Adam was known for his work since the beginning of the war as he had persevered with covering events through displacement, famine and the continued bombing of the Gaza Strip. Multiple colleagues posted in mourning of Adam, amongst them the internationally famous Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif. Anas shared via his Twitter/X account a message mourning Adam and calling him a “virtuous colleague and friend.” Anas and Adam had worked together on multiple occasions, and Anas called him “a brother, a support, and a companion in the field,” who reported throughout the dangers with “sincerity, courage and calm.” Anas was himself killed in a declared Israeli strike shortly after, on August 10, 2025 (see ISPT100825t). Ahmed Nasir Sahmood, another journalist, also shared a message for Adam on Facebook, writing that he was “known for his good morals” and that his death meant another loss of “a young man dedicated to his field and his country’s narrative.”
Al Jazeera Palestine shared photos from Adam’s funeral on Facebook, showing his face exposed in the funeral wrap and a press vest laid across his chest.
Adam’s father, Zakaria Abu Harbid, shared his thanks on Facebook to all of those who had offered condolences to his son, Adam, and to his son-in-law, Moatasem, suggesting the two were perhaps related by marriage or at least known to one another. Included in the post were photographs of both men. One shows Moatasem on a screen, pointing to the possibility that he was also a journalist.
Some sources reported that Adam’s wife and children were killed in the attack and that his family was completely removed from the civil registry as a result of the missile incident but most reports stated that they were injured, not killed, and have been counted as such until further confirmation of their death is found.
Sources included memorials for Moatasem Nidal Sahweil, adding a photograph showing Moatasem with his son. Cousin Nael Khalil was “truly saddened by [the] loss.”
Nadreen Ahmed announced “the news of the martyrdom of my sister,” which she did “with all the verses of pride and honor.”
Where possible, the names of the victims have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) lists, which include national ID numbers. Since October 26, 2023, the MoH has released a number of 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 twelfth “Palestinian Ministry of Health List of Fatalities in Gaza.”
Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the incident to the Israeli Military.