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Who was Saleh Aljafarawi, slain Palestinian journalist known for documenting war in Gaza?
Saleh Aljafarwai was shot dead in Gaza City allegedly by Israel-backed militia group.
Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi has reportedly been killed in Gaza City during clashes even as Hamas and Israel signed up for a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, ending the two-year-long war.
Aljafarawi, who gained popularity on social media for documenting the human cost of war, was reportedly killed by Israel-backed militia group in the Sabra neighbourhood where he was documenting the destruction of the war. Follow the live updates of Hamas-Israel ceasefire here.
The Israel-backed group clashed with Hamas gunmen when the 28-year-old journalist was cornered and shot at seven times, reports said.
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Al Jazeera quoted Palestinian sources saying that clashes had broken out between Hamas security forces and fighters from the Doghmush clan in Sabra on Sunday. Gaza officials told Al Jazeera that the clashes in Gaza City involved “an armed militia affiliated with the [Israeli] occupation”.
Who was Aljafarawi?
Aljafarawi was among the young Palestinian journalists and social media influencers who used the platform to document destruction and human cost of the war that went on for two years before the United States brokered a truce between Hamas and Israel.
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In January, Aljafarawi had spoken to Al Jazeera about how the war will forever be etched on the memory. “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,” Aljafarawi had said adding that he lived in constant fear. “I was living life second to second, not knowing what the next second would bring.”
Over 250 journalists have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched military operations there in October 2023.
Ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange
After days of negotiation, Hamas and Israel agreed upon a peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to end the war in Gaza that displaced tens of thousands of Gazans and claimed several thousand lives.
In the first stage of the ceasefire deal, Hamas will release 47 Israeli hostages, living and dead, in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans held by Israel since the war broke out.
Also read: Israeli hostages to be released starting Monday, says Hamas official
Hamas is also expected to hand over the remains of a soldier killed in 2014 during a previous Gaza war.
Israel expects all 20 living hostages to be released to the Red Cross "early Monday morning", according to a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, ahead of a midday (0900 GMT) deadline. While Netanyahu has asserted the resolve to disarm Hamas, the Palestinian armed group hasn't said anything about it so far.
Ceasefire summit in Egypt
Some of the top world leaders, including Trump, have gathered in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh for the Gaza peace summit co-hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Trump departed on a whirlwind trip to Israel and Egypt Sunday night and will join the summit on Monday.
Also read: UK to Saudi Arabia: World leaders hail Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
Trump and Sisi will chair the Gaza peace summit of more than 20 world leaders as the gathering aims “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”. Sisi's office said.
On Sunday, the Egyptian foreign ministry said a "document ending the war in the Gaza Strip" was expected to be signed during the "historic" gathering.
A diplomatic source said mediators the US, Egypt, Qatar and likely Turkey would sign a guarantee document during the summit.
Also read: Netanyahu's warning for Hamas as ceasefire helps Gazans return home: 'disarmament will be achieved…'
But neither of the warring parties will attend, with Netanyahu's office saying no Israeli officials would take part, following earlier confirmation from Hamas that it would not send representatives.
Among those expected to attend are UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Jordan's King Abdullah II, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Canada will also be represented by its Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Iran said Monday that neither its President Masoud Pezeshkian nor foreign minister Abbas Araghchi will attend, after confirming that it received an invitation.
