14 October 2024,   02:59
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Blogger who documented life in Gaza killed in alleged Israeli strike

A blogger who attracted a following on Instagram and TikTok by documenting daily life in Gaza has been killed in a strike, writes BBC.

Mohammad “Medo” Halimy, 20, was hit by shrapnel from a nearby blast caused by an Israeli missile in Khan Younis on Monday, according to two youth organisations he had previously worked with.

The Tamer Institute for Community Education told the BBC that Halimy was in an area near the beach where displaced people have sheltered when he was fatally struck. The IDF told the BBC it could not confirm a strike took place in Khan Younis on Monday, but said it was continuing to “counter threats while persisting to mitigate harm to civilians” in Gaza.

Halimy built up a social media audience after his family were forced to flee their home when Israel began its military operation in Gaza in the wake of the 7 October attacks. More than 250,000 people followed him on Instagram and TikTok after he began posting videos detailing his life as one of Gaza"s displaced citizens in Rafah and Khan Younis. Halimy’s videos ranged from simple cooking recipes he had created with limited supplies and appliances, to walkthrough videos of how he made his content. In an interview last year, he said every clip he posted to social media cost him about USD 3 - a large sum in Gaza.

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