Palestinian activist killed by Israeli-backed militia in Gaza

The Palestinian activist and citizen journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi was killed on October 12th while documenting ongoing hostilities in Gaza City, as reported by Middle East Eye via Al Jazeera.

The 28-year-old, widely recognised for sharing footage and updates on Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, was shot several times in the Sabra neighbourhood as he reported on clashes between Hamas and an Israeli-backed militia.

Images circulated online, which showed Jafarawi’s body shortly after his death, several displaced Palestinians also lost their lives in the same incident. It was reported that an “armed militia affiliated with the occupation (Israel)” was attempting to take advantage of the current security gap in Gaza after October 10th’s announcement that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement to “end the war” and swap detainees.

Gaza-based journalist Mohamed Shahen expressed grief over the matter: “Every day is a new loss and a new goodbye, another sadness, even though the Israeli military has stopped this war but what is left from this army and the betrayal of some people.” Shahen also praised Jafarawi. He said: “May God have mercy on the hero Saleh al-Jafarawi, who was a pioneer in conveying the suffering and supporting the oppressed.”

The US-based advocacy group Within Our Lifetime said Jafarawi was “murdered earlier today by Zionist collaborators in Gaza after having a target on his back by the occupation for months.” The group also shared what it described as Jafarawi’s final message, in which he urged supporters to remain committed to the struggle: “I urge you to hold fast to the resistance, to the path we walked, and the cause we believed in.”

Before his death, Jafarawi had said that Israeli officials were threatening him personally. “The Israeli occupation is undeniably threatening me,” he said, noting that Israeli army spokespeople and Hebrew-language media had publicly identified him as a target.

Jafarawi’s death further displays how Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has been the deadliest conflict for journalists and activists alike in modern history.

His name joins a long list of journalists and prominent figures on social media who have been killed by the Israeli regime, such as Anas al-Sharif. Meanwhile, world leaders gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss the US led plan aimed at ending Israel’s genocidal war, which has left over 238,000 Palestinians killed or wounded.