Saleh al-Jafarawi, a Palestinian influencer whose social media presence made him both a celebrated figure among pro-Palestinian activists and a reviled propagandist in Israeli circles, was killed on October 12, 2025, during violent clashes in Gaza City. The circumstances of his death, the subsequent public mourning by Rama Duwaji—the wife of New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani—and the international political context have ignited intense reactions and debate, underscoring the volatile intersection of social media, conflict, and public life.
According to reports from Times of Israel and Al Jazeera, al-Jafarawi, 27, died in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City amid fighting between Hamas security forces and the Doghmush clan, a group described by Palestinian officials as an “armed militia affiliated with the [Israeli] occupation.” Eyewitness accounts state that al-Jafarawi was shot seven times while documenting the aftermath of the two-year war, wearing a press vest and filming the destruction. Footage posted to his own social media, where he had amassed over 250,000 followers, reportedly showed his final moments.
Al-Jafarawi’s rise to prominence began in 2020, when he started blogging about daily life in the Gaza Strip. His posts, often raw and emotional, chronicled the devastation and human cost of the war that erupted after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre in Israel. Over the next two years, as Israeli military operations intensified and the world watched, al-Jafarawi’s audience grew—drawn to his blend of on-the-ground reporting, satire, and viral videos. He became known as “Mr. FAFO” in Israeli media, short for “F** Around and Find Out,” a moniker reflecting both his audacious style and his open celebration of the Hamas attack that left Israelis reeling.
His content, however, was polarizing. Many Israelis viewed him as a “Hamas propagandist” who glorified violence. Former Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy, quoted by Times of Israel, described following al-Jafarawi with “a mix of horror and admiration,” noting, “Mr FAFO had phenomenal energy, charisma, and creativity. Always popping up in a different costume, once a patient then a radiologist, a jihadist then a foreign correspondent, a ham actor but always with panache and chutzpah, constantly finding inventive ways to grab new audiences and tell his story.” Yet, Levy was clear-eyed about the implications, adding, “We could have been mates, in another life, in which he did not dedicate his talents for evil, using his voice to fight for the genocidal terrorist army that perpetrated the October 7 Massacre.”
Al-Jafarawi’s critics accused him not only of spreading propaganda but also of financial misconduct, claiming he pocketed millions intended for Gaza residents, including funds meant for a children’s hospital. Conversely, among pro-Palestinian activists and many in Gaza, he was mourned as a passionate voice who documented suffering and resilience. In January 2025, he told Al Jazeera, “All the scenes and situations I went through during these 467 days will not be erased from my memory. All the situations we faced, we will never be able to forget them. I was living life second to second, not knowing what the next second would bring.”
The news of his death reverberated far beyond Gaza. In New York, Rama Duwaji, an animator and outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights, posted a tribute to al-Jafarawi on her Instagram Story, accompanied by four broken-heart emojis and the words “Beloved Jafarawi.” The gesture, reported by outlets including Times of Israel and the New York Post, triggered immediate backlash across social media platforms. Duwaji, who married Zohran Mamdani in a civil ceremony in February 2025, has long used her platform to celebrate Middle Eastern art and culture and criticize the US and Israeli response to the conflict. Her public mourning reignited controversy, with some right-wing activists and commentators branding her “anti-Semitic” and labeling her Mamdani’s “Hamas-loving wife.”
Mamdani himself, a prominent New York City politician and frequent critic of Israeli policy, has not shied from controversy. He has previously stated he would ensure the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he enter New York City during his mayoralty. The couple’s pro-Palestinian stance has made them targets for criticism from conservative figures, including MAGA activist Laura Loomer, and has fueled broader debates about the political visibility and influence of those connected to public officials.
The timing of al-Jafarawi’s death coincided with a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered by US President Donald Trump’s administration. After days of negotiation, the agreement was reached to end the two-year war, which had displaced tens of thousands of Gazans and claimed several thousand lives. The ceasefire deal included the release of 47 Israeli hostages—living and dead—in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans held by Israel. The truce, though welcomed by many, was marred by ongoing violence and deep-seated mistrust on both sides.
As the ceasefire went into effect, world leaders gathered in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for a peace summit co-hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and President Trump. The summit, intended to “end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability,” drew dignitaries including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Notably, neither Israeli nor Hamas officials attended, underscoring the persistent gulf between the parties.
The cost of the conflict has been staggering. More than 250 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to Gaza officials cited by Al Jazeera. Al-Jafarawi’s death, while emblematic of the risks faced by local reporters, also highlights the increasing role of social media influencers in shaping perceptions of war. His viral videos—sometimes ridiculed by pro-Israel viewers as staged or lazy propaganda—blurred the lines between journalism, activism, and performance, raising questions about authenticity and accountability in the digital age.
In the days following his death, reactions remained sharply divided. Many Israelis cheered the demise of someone they saw as a symbol of Hamas’s propaganda machine. Pro-Palestinian activists, meanwhile, lamented the loss of a “passionate voice.” The debate around Rama Duwaji’s public grief further exposed the deep rifts in American political discourse regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially as it intersects with the personal lives of public figures.
For Duwaji and Mamdani, whose relationship began in 2021 and whose activism has often placed them at the center of controversy, the episode serves as another reminder of the high stakes and personal costs involved in taking a stand on one of the world’s most intractable conflicts. As the ceasefire holds—for now—the fate of Gaza, and the role of voices like al-Jafarawi’s, remain uncertain in a region where peace is always precarious.