Saleh al-Jafarawi
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Saleh al-Jafarawi (22 November 1997 – 12 October 2025) was a Palestinian citizen journalist, social media influencer, and singer from Gaza City. He became widely known during the 2023–2025 Gaza war for reporting from affected areas, documenting the impact of airstrikes on civilians, and sharing real-time footage with a global audience. His work brought international attention to conditions on the ground in Gaza. Al-Jafarawi was shot and killed on 12 October 2025 in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City while reporting.[1]
Early life and education
Al-Jafarawi was born in Gaza City on 22 November 1997 and grew up in Al-Shati refugee camp. He studied media and journalism at the Islamic University of Gaza, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2019.[2]
During university, he was active in student media clubs and youth initiatives. He also represented his university as an amateur table tennis player in 2023.[3]
Career
Early reporting
Al-Jafarawi began his media work as a volunteer and freelance journalist in 2018 during the Great March of Return, sharing reports and videos of demonstrations and their aftermath. His personal reporting style and direct engagement with followers quickly built him a large online audience.
Rise to prominence
During the 2023–2025 Gaza war, he became one of the most followed Palestinian citizen journalists. His videos documenting bombings and civilian displacement were viewed millions of times across multiple platforms, including Instagram and TikTok.[4]
His coverage was widely shared by international activists and NGOs, and clips of his livestreams were frequently cited in reports documenting the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Death
On 12 October 2025, Al-Jafarawi was fatally shot in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City while covering events in the area.[1] He was 27 years old. Thousands attended his funeral the next day in Gaza City. His death was met with tributes from journalists, human rights advocates, and international organisations calling for better protection of media workers in conflict zones.[5]
Legacy
Al-Jafarawi is remembered as one of the most recognisable Palestinian citizen journalists of the Gaza war. His videos were used by international media and rights groups to document civilian experiences in Gaza. He is cited as an example of how grassroots reporting can influence global understanding of conflict.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi shot dead in Gaza City" (in en). 2025-10-13. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/12/palestinian-journalist-saleh-aljafarawi-shot-dead-in-gaza-city-clashes.
- ↑ "صالح الجعفراوي.. ناشط وثق حرب الإبادة الإسرائيلية في غزة" (in ar). 2025-10-13. https://www.aljazeera.net/encyclopedia/2025/10/13/%d8%b5%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%88%d9%8a-%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%b4%d8%b7-%d9%88%d8%ab%d9%82-%d8%ad%d8%b1%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%af%d8%a9.
- ↑ "لاعب منتخب الجامعة الإسلامية يشارك في بطولة العالم لتنس الطاولة – الجامعة الإسلامية بغزة" (in ar). 2023-02-04. https://www.iugaza.edu.ps/p27209/.
- ↑ ""ينشر جرائم الاحتلال".. من هو صالح الجعفراوي الذي أزعج إسرائيل؟" (in ar). 2023-11-16. https://www.alaraby.com/news/%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%88-%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%8A-%D8%A3%D8%B2%D8%B9%D8%AC-%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84.
- ↑ "Prominent Palestinian activist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed in Gaza City". 2025-10-12. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saleh-al-jafarawi-prominent-Palestinian-activist-killed-militia-gaza-city.
- ↑ "Citizen Journalism in War: The Case of Saleh Al-Jafarawi". https://www.mediareview.org/article/2025/10/14/saleh-aljafarawi-citizen-journalism.