Saleh al-Jafarawi
Palestinian journalist, media personality and content creator (1997–2025)
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Saleh al-Jafarawi (Arabic: صالح الجعفراوي, romanized: Ṣāliḥ al-Jaʻfarāwī; 22 November 1997 – 12 October 2025) was a Palestinian citizen journalist, social media influencer and table tennis player from Gaza. He was recognised during the Gaza war for his frontline video reporting and wide social media reach. During a period when a ceasefire was in place between Hamas and Israel,[1][2] Saleh was shot and killed by members of an "armed militia"[3] of Doghmush clan members amid clashes with Hamas in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City on 12 October 2025.[4][5][6][7][8]
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Saleh al-Jafarawi | |
|---|---|
صالح الجعفراوي | |
Al-Jafarawi in 2025 | |
| Born | 22 November 1997 Gaza City, Palestine |
| Died | 12 October 2025 (aged 27) Sabra, Gaza, Palestine |
Cause of death | Gunshot wounds sustained during the 2025 Hamas-Doghmush conflict |
| Alma mater | Islamic University of Gaza |
| Occupations | Journalist, content creator and table tennis player |
| Years active | 2019–2025 |
Early life
Saleh al-Jafarawi was born in Gaza City in the Gaza Strip, on 22 November 1997. He attended the Islamic University of Gaza, where he received a bachelor's degree in media and journalism in 2019. He began producing content around 2018 on the Great March of Return, during which he covered the situation on the group as a freelance journalist for local media outlets.[9] He also worked independently as a freelance photographer and journalist on social media platforms. His reporting style often involved documenting civilian suffering and destruction during Israeli military operations in Gaza.[10][11][12]
Prior to his journalism role, Al-Jafarawi was a table tennis player and represented Palestine in international table competitions, including the WTT Feeder in Doha, Qatar in 2023.[13]
Career
Al-Jafarawi became well-known during the Gaza war, when his videos from the conflict zones went viral on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. He amassed a large following, and his content was widely shared.[11][12][14]
In November 2023, pro-Israel influencers falsely claimed that al-Jafarawi had faked a scene of being hospitalized and labelled the video as "Pallywood." Voice of America reported that a video alleging to show Jafarawi faking hospitalization was in fact a misidentification.[15]
In March 2025, al-Jafarawi's Instagram account was suspended "indefinitely", forcing him to use a backup account.[16]
In late September 2025, al-Jafarawi's followers raised alarm after the Israel Defense Forces Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee alleged that al-Jafarawi was affiliated with Hamas. His followers feared that, like other Palestinian journalists in Gaza accused of associations with Hamas, al-Jafarawi could be targeted in the near future. They drew comparison to the journalist Anas al-Sharif, who was targeted and killed in Gaza by Israel with similar allegations.[17]
Death
On 12 October 2025, al-Jafarawi was shot and killed by Doghmush clan members amid clashes with Hamas in Sabra, Gaza City.[a][3][18] Palestinian sources have indicated that there were confrontations in Hasher Sabra involving Hamas security personnel and members of the Daghmush tribe; however, local authorities have yet to verify this information.[3]
After his death, Instagram removed al-Jafarawi's account which had 4.5 million followers at the time of his death as well as its digital archives from the Wayback Machine.[19] According to Meta, they justified the erasure of al-Jafarawi's account under its policy on "dangerous organizations and individuals." TRT World wrote that this justification has repeatedly been used to purge pro-Palestinian journalists and activists from its platforms.[20][21]
See also
Notes
- Sources mislabel his age as "28".