Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISPT0914a

Incident date

November 5, 2023

Location

قطاع غزة, Gaza City, Gaza, the Gaza Strip

Geolocation

31.516667, 34.450000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On November 5, 2023, Dr. Halal al-Dulaimi, a female Iraqi doctor from Baghdad, was killed by an alleged Israeli airstrike while treating patients in the Gaza Strip. The exact location and time of the strike are unknown.

The Facebook page “Doctor’s Lounge” and Sulaiman al-Fahd on X both stated that Dr. Halal was on duty as a staff member of the United Nations.

Abu Amjad Alharaki described her as “a martyr of humanitarian duty,” saying she was killed “as a result of a Zionist airstrike while carrying out her duty as a doctor in the field of humanitarian honor.” Adhamiya Youth Council described her as an “honorable Iraqi heroine.”

In mourning, many social media users shared a photo of Dr. Halal, showing her smiling at the camera while seated outdoors. The setting is decorated with Sadu weaving (a traditional embroidery pattern made by Bedouins) with trees in the background. She is seen wearing a mustard suit jacket over a black turtleneck, adorned with gold-colored necklaces.

Both Bnacer and Jassim Al-Fatlawi shared that Dr. Halal was the daughter of Wadban al-Dulaimi, who was killed by American forces in 2003 during the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

They write:

“With hearts wracked by pain, we received the news of the martyrdom of Dr. Halal Al-Dulaimi while she was fulfilling her duty of tending to the wounded in afflicted Gaza, struck down by a treacherous Israeli bullet.

May Allah grant her His vast mercy. Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return… The daughter of the hero, the martyr of Iraq, Wadban Al-Dulaimi, who was martyred at the hands of U.S. forces in 2003.

We ask Allah Almighty to envelop her in His boundless mercy, to grant her a place among the martyrs, the truthful, and the righteous, and to bestow patience and solace upon her family and loved ones.”

They concluded their post with “Al-Fatiha, may Allah have mercy on her soul,” calling on readers to recite Al-Fatiha, the opening chapter of the Quran, which is a prayer for guidance and mercy.

While both wrote that she was killed by a “treacherous Israeli bullet,” the word “bullet” in the context of this sentence and preceded by “treacherous” can also be understood to refer to a generic weapon.

Where posts specified the type of strike, most identified it as an airstrike. Additionally, the majority of sources attributed the alleged strike to the Israeli military.

On Facebook, Kolshan reflects: “This is what Iraqi men are like, and this is what Iraqi women are like… You will find their marks on the battlefield.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Halal al-Dulaimi حلال الدليمي
Adult female killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Gaza City (قطاع غزة), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.516667, 34.450000. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Doctors' Lounge
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad Alabiad foloowers
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Tarmiyah
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Bnacer
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Diary of an Iraqi who is fed up with his soul
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: AlhaanMagazine1
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Alanbar Bytuna
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Jassim Al-Fatlawi
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Muhye Almadfaei
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mazen Zaid Al-Dulaimi
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Kolshan
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abbas Sadkhan
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu Mosatafa
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Abu Amjad Alharaki
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ali Rajeh
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @SulaimanALFAHD1

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]