On the evening of 6 August, and without prior warning, Israeli warplanes launched 6 missiles at a 3-storey house in Rafah refugee camp. At least five civilians were killed and 35 injured in the strike, with Civil Defense crews recovering bodies and survivors from the rubble until the next morning.
Israel reported that the strike had successfully targeted Khaled Saeed Mansour, commander of the Al-Quds Brigades in the southern Gaza strip, and two of his companions.
Two children, a man, and a woman are among the deceased civilians, while at least 18 children and 12 women were injured in the attack. The house itself and seven neighbouring houses were destroyed.
Since 2010, AOAV has recorded 1,002 incidents of explosive weapon use in Gaza and the West Bank. 94% of those incidents are attributed to state actors. Of the 7,020 civilian casualties reported in that time, 97% are attributed to state actors.
100% of reported state-perpetrated incidents of explosive weapon use in Gaza and the West Bank since 2010, and the resulting civilian casualties, are attributed to Israel.
Civilians account for 92% of the total reported casualties of Israeli explosive weapon use in Gaza and the West Bank since 2010. In that time, at least 718 civilian casualties were reported as women and 1,448 as children.
According to the World Population Review (2022), Gaza is the 40th most densely populated urban area globally, with over 42,600 people per square mile. 73% of Israeli explosive weapon use in Gaza and the West Bank occurred in populated areas, causing 91% of civilian casualties and 43% of armed actor casualties. 96% of casualties when Israel used explosive weapons in populated areas were civilians.
Air-launched weapons have caused the majority, 67%, of reported civilian casualties of Israeli explosive violence in Gaza and the West Bank since 2010. 90% of casualties reported when Israel used air-launched weapons in Gaza and the West Bank were civilians.
73% of Israeli air-launched weapon use in Gaza and the West Bank since 2010 took place in populated areas, causing 90% of civilian casualties of Israeli air-launched weapon use. In populated areas, 84% of Israeli explosive weapon use was reported as an air-launched weapon, causing 66% of civilian casualties of Israeli explosive weapon use in populated areas.
Israel claims to have used smart bombs and precise intel to target enemy combatants.
AOAV condemns the use of violence against civilians and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. All actors should stop using explosive weapons with wide-area effects where there is likely to be a high concentration of civilians.
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