Palestinian TikTok star Medo Halimy killed in israeli airstrike

Halimy, known for his poignant documentation of life under siege, was a beacon of hope and resilience for many.

On a day like many others, Halimy ventured to a local internet café—a makeshift tent with Wi-Fi serving as a lifeline for displaced Palestinians. There, he reunited with his friend and collaborator, Talal Murad. Moments later, a sudden explosion engulfed their surroundings, resulting in Halimy’s untimely death. Murad, who was injured, recounted the horrific scene: “He represented a message. He represented hope and strength.”

The Israeli military has stated they were unaware of the specific strike that claimed Halimy’s life. Meanwhile, tributes have poured in from around the globe. Heba al-Saidi, alumni coordinator for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study program, remembered Halimy’s time in the U.S. with fondness, stating, “Medo was the life of the hangout … humor and kindness and wit, all things that can never be forgotten.”

Halimy’s death has sparked a wave of grief on social media, with his followers mourning the loss of a figure who brought an intimate glimpse into life in Gaza. His TikTok account, which vividly portrayed the harsh realities and small joys of his existence, amassed a significant following, reaching hundreds of thousands worldwide.

Amidst the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Halimy’s content offered a unique perspective, focusing on daily struggles and moments of levity amidst adversity. His final video, posted just hours before his death, reflected his enduring spirit as he spoke of a “secret project” with characteristic playfulness.

The loss of Medo Halimy is not only a personal tragedy for those who knew him but also a profound loss for the global community that admired his courage and creativity. His story underscores the human cost of the conflict and the power of individual voices in a time of immense hardship.

@medohalimy
Oct. 8th 12:50 am This video is from the first night of this genoc!de, which is probably the worst night of my life. you can feel the terror in my mom’s and sister’s voices. The attacks were right at the end of the street but that wasn’t the worst part. The moment I turned off the camera is when it all started going downhill. Three m!ssles targeted the house across the street, which caused our whole street to destroy as well as the house on top of our heads. I saw de.ath that night and I can tell you it was not fun at all. I don’t really wanna talk about it much because even just watching the video and remembering that night makes me cry, I just wanted to share this with you guys. Here is a longer version of my story… Well, on the first night as we were trying to sleep normally—I had a feeling something bad was gonna happen to us, the Israelis threw many nearby missiles that were very scary and awoke me and my family then they threw another 3, but this time they were so close to our house—10 ft away or so, they destroyed our house on top of our heads, we literally had to move bricks and stuff from on top of our heads and then went running in the street trying to go somewhere safer. I can’t even describe how awful the scene was. I am literally crying right now as I am writing this and remembering how horrible it was. To describe it quickly it looked like Call of Duty, it looked like a video game. All I could see was smoke from the bombing. What I heard was really sad and scary in a way, all I could hear was kids crying, moms screaming, and a siren sound going off. There was no oxygen to breath, it was all smoke and some bad smells. Luckily we made it past that night all alive with only some light injuries. We then stayed at an UNRWA school (supposedly a safe shelter, yet in that same night they had bombed an UNRWA school) for the next week, life was really hard! Harder than you can imagine! 51 people in one room! Imagine!! If you look at us while asleep we would look like canned sardines. They had cut all supplies (water, food, electricity, internet, etc) but we had some electricity because it was generated by solar panels, anyways, a week later they threw papers from the sky saying that we have to evacuate to the southern parts of Gaza Strip because they are going to be “safe”. It was so hard finding a car to take us to the south and we needed more than 5 cars. Lucky thank god we found cars at the end and we headed to the south. The trip to the south was the scariest trip of my life. It literally crashed me internally. They said it would be safe to go to the south but literally bombed and killed more than 150 people on their way to the south. We made it safely to the south after all and some strangers offered us an apartment they have to stay in. And now it has been more than10 mothes in the south and litrally living helI on earth
♬ original sound – Medo Halimy