Moamen Abu Alouf

Their life

Moamen Abu Alouf was a 19-year-old Palestinian journalist and content creator from Gaza who worked as a freelancer for Al Jazeera and the Anadolu Agency. Passionate about documenting the suffering and resilience of his people, Moamen began his media journey as a teenage volunteer and social media storyteller. His dedication to showing the truth of life in Gaza quickly earned him over 100,000 online followers. He was widely admired for his courage, empathy, and willingness to enter dangerous areas to film humanitarian operations.

Born in Gaza in 2006, Moamen grew up during years of siege and conflict, where daily survival was intertwined with tragedy. As a child, he developed an early interest in photography and storytelling. In October 2023, at just 16 years old, he volunteered as a rescuer during Israel’s large-scale bombardment of the Strip. While helping to evacuate victims, he began filming scenes of destruction and hope, posting short clips to his social media accounts. His videos — raw and emotional — quickly spread across Gaza and beyond. Within months, he became one of the most followed young journalists in the territory. By early 2024, his work had drawn the attention of major media outlets, and he began freelancing for Al Jazeera and Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, covering war aftermaths, civilian casualties, and humanitarian relief operations.

Despite his growing popularity, Moamen’s rising profile brought danger. He reportedly received multiple death threats from anonymous sources, including messages he believed to be from Isr

How they died

Moamen Abu Alouf was killed in an Israeli airstrike on 9 June 2025 while covering a relief operation in Gaza.

On the morning of 9 June 2025, Moamen was filming humanitarian aid efforts and civilian rescues — one of his regular beats — when Israeli aircraft struck the area. According to witnesses and relatives, he was wearing his press vest and camera gear at the time. The explosion killed him instantly. In the hours before his death, he had reportedly said emotional goodbyes to friends and family, expressing fear for his life after receiving new death threats. One of the final messages he received was from a person identifying himself as “Captain Roman Abu Rami” from “Israeli Intelligence,” warning that his time was running out and that “the era of Hamas is over.”

Just days earlier, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Avichai Adraee had posted Moamen’s photo on social media, labeling him a “terrorist who claims to be a journalist.” The image showed Moamen holding a young girl he had rescued from a fire, and the post accused him of staging the scene. Deeply hurt by the accusation, Moamen reportedly told his brother, “Where would I have found paper to write down what she was saying? I pulled her out of the flames to take her to the doctor — and I filmed her, that’s all.” Hours later, he was dead.

A plea from the family

Moamen’s family described his killing as an “execution.” His brother told Reporters Without Borders (RSF) that Moamen had been terrified by the online threats and propaganda posts but refused to stop documenting the suffering of civilians. “He was killed because he showed the truth,” his brother said. The family rejected all claims that he was linked to militant groups, emphasizing that Moamen was only a journalist and humanitarian volunteer. His colleagues at Al Jazeera and Anadolu mourned him as a brave young voice of Gaza who died while trying to save others and tell their stories.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Moamen Abu Alouf, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources