Who was Saleh al-Jafarawi, the Gaza journalist killed days after celebrating the ceasefire?

Many around the world are mourning the killing of Saleh al-Jafarawi, the 28-year-old Palestinian journalist and content creator killed in Gaza on Sunday, days after celebrating the ceasefire.

The journalist was a prominent voice in covering Israel’s offensive on Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023, and was killed in southern Gaza City by an armed militia while he was reporting on clashes in the al-Sabra neighbourhood.

Reports in Arabic media state that the armed militia was affiliated with Israel, and members of the group had been killing displaced Palestinians who were making their way back to their homes in the aftermath of the truce.

When he was found, after being announced as missing early on Sunday, he was wearing a press jacket.

The reporter had amassed a large following on social media for his fearless dispatches from on the ground, despite himself being displaced, starved, and his home bombed.

His coverage also resulted in Israel placing him on a "red notice" list.

Who was Saleh al-Jafarawi?

Al-Jafarawi was an independent journalist who maintained a close relationship with many of Gaza’s prominent reporters, including Anas Al-Sharif, the Al-Jazeera Arabic journalist who was killed by Israel earlier this year.

He had amassed millions of followers across social media platforms and was also known for his singing songs that focused on Palestinian aspirations, the situation in Gaza, and the plight of Palestinians.

In several interviews, the journalist has touched on Israel’s targeting of journalists and how the army is threatening his life.

In one of his final videos, al-Jafarawi was seen taking of his press vest and putting it on a child, adding that he is "raising the next generation…to deliver a message that even if you target us and if we the adults die, children will be there to take our place and will continue this mission because this land is our land".

The journalist was known for his charismatic personality, often captured playing with animals and children.

Discrediting of Palestinian journalists

Since al-Jafarawi was pronounced dead, many Israelis have criticised the journalist, casting doubt over him as a person, and insinuating that he was "pretending" to be a humanitarian while allegedly being affluent and profiting of his own fame.

Israeli writer Hen Mazzig, who is also a senior fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute after serving in the Israeli army, claimed in a post on X that al-Jafarawi was "Hamas affiliated" and "stole millions in donations".

In a photo, he shared multiple photos of al-Jafarawi, insinuating he was dishonest and a fraud, by labelling him a "freedom fighter, blood donor, foster father, resilient patient, war correspondent, American Idol, tour guide".

The baseless claims mock and refer to al-Jafarawi’s multiple hobbies which he has shared on social media, which include playing tennis, singing, memorising the Quran, and posting videos on YouTube in 2020 before his career as a journalist.

Activists and Palestinians have decried the claims about al-Jafarawi as a systematic attempt by Israelis to circulate misinformation or doctored images of Palestinians to undermine their legitimacy.

Israeli public figures and officials have previously done this by claiming that Palestinian journalists engage in "Pallywood" or "Gazawood" -  terms used to accuse journalists of staging their suffering in Gaza.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), "These smear campaigns foster suspicion and feed the Israeli army’s narrative".

Al-Jafarawi's killing follows those of over 270 other journalists killed by Israel, in what many rights groups have decried as one of the deadliest wars on reporters in history.