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Media: Member of influential Gaza Strip family killed fighting against Ukraine

by Elsa Court and The Kyiv Independent news desk August 15, 2023 10:26 PM 1 min read

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Rami al-Farra, a member of the al-Farra family from the Gaza Strip, has been killed while fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said in an investigation published on Aug. 15.

Radio Liberty said this is the first known case of the death of a Palestinian in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

After his family reported his death on Aug. 5, Palestinian media outlets said al-Farra had been killed in Russia. However, Radio Liberty found evidence on social media that the man had been actively fighting in Ukraine.

Radio Liberty was told by al-Farra's father that his son, who held Russian citizenship, was not mobilized to fight in Ukraine, but signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry.

The man, also known as Roman Elfarra, was born in Russia in 1994 to a Russian mother and a Palestinian father.

He lived in Russia for much of his life after his family fled Gaza following the Hamas takeover in 2007.

Authors: Elsa Court, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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Media: Member of influential Gaza Strip family killed fighting against Ukraine

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