A blogger who gained popularity on Instagram and TikTok by documenting daily life in Gaza has been killed in an airstrike.
Mohammad ‘Medo’ Halimy, 20, was struck by shrapnel from an Israeli missile blast in Khan Younis on Monday, according to two youth organizations he had previously collaborated with.
The Tamer Institute for Community Education informed the BBC that Halimy was in a shelter area near the beach for displaced people when he was fatally injured.
The IDF stated it could not confirm a strike in Khan Younis on Monday but emphasized its efforts to “counter threats while minimizing harm to civilians” in Gaza.
Halimy built a substantial social media following after his family was displaced by Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the attacks on October 7.
Over 250,000 people followed him on Instagram and TikTok as he shared his experiences living as one of Gaza’s displaced citizens in Rafah and Khan Younis.
His videos included everything from cooking recipes with limited supplies to behind-the-scenes content creation.
In an interview last year, he mentioned that each video he posted cost him about $3—a significant amount in Gaza.
His last video was posted on Monday, just hours before his death, showcasing the tent where he was living and recounting his day’s activities.
The Palestinian organizations that confirmed his death to the BBC stated that the fatal strike occurred on a nearby street, and Halimy was injured by debris. He succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Spark, a Gaza-based charity with which Halimy had worked in the summer of 2023, confirmed his death and celebrated his “ability to add beauty and splendor to any place.”
The charity expressed, “Muhammad, your kind spirit will remain with us, and we believe you deserved a better world.”
“May God have mercy on you, my beloved,” his sister Rahaf wrote in a post on Instagram announcing his death. “May God accept you as a martyr.”
Earlier this year, Halimy told NBC News he hoped his content would help “to show the world what our life really looks like”.
“I’m showing that us Palestinians are very resilient,” he told the US broadcaster.
“We’re going to survive and live no matter what happens, in whatever circumstances. We can’t be defeated. We’re very strong people, and we’re going to live no matter what.”
Israel initiated a military campaign in Gaza in response to an unprecedented attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken.
Since then, over 40,530 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant casualties. The UN human rights office reports that most of those killed have been women and children.
Efforts by US, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators are underway to negotiate a ceasefire that would involve the release of 104 hostages held by Hamas, including 34 who are presumed dead, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Recent indirect talks in Cairo have not yet resulted in a breakthrough, with significant disagreements remaining. One key sticking point is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence on maintaining Israeli troops along Gaza’s border with Egypt, a demand rejected by both Hamas and Egypt.