Palestinian Journalist Saleh Aljafarawi Killed Amid Gaza City Clashes Days After Ceasefire

Saleh Aljafarawi Killed Amid Gaza Clashes

Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi, 28, was killed while covering clashes in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, just days after a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas. Al Jazeera Arabic reported that Aljafarawi, recognized for his frontline videos of the war, was shot by members of an “armed militia.” Footage verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency showed his body wearing a press flak jacket on the back of a truck.

Aljafarawi had been reported missing since Sunday morning. Palestinian sources indicated clashes involved Hamas security forces and fighters from the Doghmush clan, although local authorities have yet to officially confirm this. A senior source in Gaza’s Ministry of Interior suggested the clashes involved “an armed militia affiliated with the [Israeli] occupation,” adding that militia members attacked displaced residents returning from southern Gaza.

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Journalist’s Life and Threats

Aljafarawi had previously spoken about the dangers he faced as a war correspondent. In January 2025, before a temporary ceasefire, he described being displaced from northern Gaza and living under constant threat from Israeli forces due to his reporting.

“Honestly, I lived in fear for every second… not knowing what the next second would bring,” he told Al Jazeera.

Since the start of the conflict in October 2023, more than 270 journalists have been killed in Gaza, making it one of the deadliest conflicts for media workers globally.

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Ceasefire and Upcoming Gaza Summit

Aljafarawi’s death comes as the Gaza ceasefire holds for a third consecutive day, preceding an expected hostage-prisoner exchange.

The ceasefire is being discussed at an international level, with US President Donald Trump scheduled to join a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, co-hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. According to Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, the summit aims to:

• End the war in Gaza

• Promote peace and stability in the Middle East

• Establish a framework for long-term regional security

No representatives from Israel or Hamas are expected at the talks, although a document “ending the war in the Gaza Strip” is anticipated to be signed.