Gazan social media star Saleh Al Jafarawi, who gained notoriety during the first weeks following October 7 for publishing one-sided propaganda videos from the Gaza Strip, claimed to collect money for Gazans, but it appears that the donations allegedly ended up in his personal pocket.
Managed to Bring in About $4 Million for Himself and Hamas
Al-Jafarawi’s recent campaign reportedly brought in about $4 million for himself and the terror organization Hamas, claiming that the money was intended for the rehabilitation of the Nassar Hospital in Khan Younis. He stated that the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah asked him to launch the campaign quickly, so he included the ministry’s logo alongside that of a Kuwaiti charity, which was presumably unaware of this. During the campaign, Al-Jafarawi set a fundraising goal of $10 million.
The ״Campaign for Nassar Hospital:
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah was quick to announce that it is not behind the initiative, is not responsible for fundraising campaigns for the Gaza Strip, and is not connected to donations being made by private entities on social media. The ministry also warned against the use of its name or logo for fundraising campaigns by any party and urged the public to exercise caution and verify any relevant information through its official websites.
Outrage in the Gaza Strip
Following this incident, there has been widespread outrage in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian user Mustafa Asfour warned: “The thief Salah Al-Jafarawi collected over $4 million, and the official Palestinian Ministry of Health denied collecting donations in its name. I told you earlier that the Ministry of Health in Gaza, which is managed by Hamas, leads thief Salah, not the Palestinian Authority. So, dear donor, your money has disappeared.” Another user calling himself “Abu Hassan” added: “Before the war, he was ‘working in restaurants,’ and after the war, he became a millionaire with one click thanks to Gaza! It’s known that the person transferring you money, Salah, wants you to help the residents of Gaza, because you are famous and influential, not so you can steal donations. He has deceived many donors.”
Blocked from Instagram
Salah Al-Jafarawi’s Instagram account, which had more than 5 million followers, was blocked last Saturday. Meta confirmed that the ban was implemented due to a violation of the platform’s policies.
