
Uefa raises banner saying 'stop killing children' before PSG-Tottenham match
Uefa also shared the message on X : "From the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, the message is loud and clear. A banner. A call."
On 9 August, Uefa paid tribute to Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid, known as the "Palestinian Pelé", following his killing in an Israeli attack in southern Gaza.
"Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pelé'," Uefa wrote on social media. "A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times."
Uefa omitted to mention the circumstances of his death, drawing criticism from thousands, including Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, who asked: 'Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?'
In November 2024, PSG fans had unfurled a "Free Palestine" banner during a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. After demands for sanctions against the team were raised, Uefa had said it only bans political messages perceived as insulting or provocative, which wasn't the case with the pro-Palestine banner.
According to the Palestinian Football Association, at least 400 footballers have been killed by Israel in Gaza. Nearly 300 sports facilities, including stadiums, gyms and club buildings, have been destroyed.
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The National
an hour ago
- The National
Gaza basketball player killed by Israel while seeking medicine for his daughter
One of Gaza 's most prominent basketball players was shot dead by Israeli forces this week while queuing for aid in Khan Younis, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Mohammed Shaalan, 40, was killed while seeking food and medicine for his daughter, Mariam, who suffers from kidney failure and severe blood poisoning. The Palestinian Basketball Federation confirmed his death on Facebook. The sports body described Shaalan as 'one of the brightest stars of the game in Palestine'. 'Mohammad, nicknamed 'the Earthquake' on the court, fell as a martyr to hunger and deprivation, leaving behind six children, including his six-year-old daughter Mariam, who suffers from kidney failure and blood poisoning, struggling alone with an uncertain fate after her father's tragic death,' wrote the federation. 'Mohammad Shaalan has now joined the long list of Palestinian basketball martyrs – players, coaches, and officials – who were killed during the ongoing Israeli aggression against our people, his name forever engraved in the memory of Palestinian sports.' The former national team player and father had been desperately appealing for his daughter to receive medical treatment for her illness, reported Wafa. With her father gone, 'Mariam is still waiting for treatment and mercy', said the federation. Israel's war on Gaza has heavily destroyed the enclave's health sector, destroying medical centres and personnel. Most hospitals in Gaza are in ruins. Shaalan is the latest of hundreds killed at aid distribution centres in the strip. An investigation by The National has unveiled a pattern of systematic killings of Palestinians attempting to collect aid. More than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed while waiting to receive humanitarian assistance, at least 900 of them near sites run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the UN said. Shaalan played for several local clubs as well as the national team. He won two Premier League titles, a Gaza Strip Cup Championship and two Super Cup Championships. His death deals another blow to the Palestinian sports community. Earlier this month, Israel killed Gaza footballer Suleiman Al Obaid, known as the ' Pele of Palestine ', while he was also waiting for humanitarian aid in Rafah. The Palestinian Football Association said Al Obaid, 41, was shot dead while queuing for food at an aid distribution centre in southern Gaza. He was regarded as one of the most talented attacking midfielders in the Gaza Strip League. Nearly 800 Palestinian athletes and sports officials in Gaza and the occupied West Bank have been killed by Israel since October 2023, according to the association. Israeli forces have also destroyed 288 sports and scouting centres across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Wafa said.


Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Middle East Eye
Israeli forces kill Palestinian basketball star in Gaza aid centre shooting
Israeli forces killed former Palestinian national basketball player Mohammed Shaalan on Tuesday. Shaalan, 40, was killed at an aid distribution site near Khan Younis while attempting to secure food and medicine for his sick daughter, Maryam, and the rest of his family. According to local media, Maryam suffers from kidney failure and severe blood poisoning. Before his death, Shaalan had repeatedly appealed for help in securing proper medical treatment for her. Nicknamed al-Zilzal - Arabic for "The Earthquake" - Shaalan was a well-known figure in Palestinian sports, having played for several local teams including Khadamat Al-Bureij, Khadamat Al-Maghazi, and Khadamat Khan Younis, as well as representing the national team. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Images circulating online show mourners gathered around Shaalan's body, which was wrapped in the Palestinian flag with flowers laid atop the shroud. Shaalan is one of three members of the Palestinian sports community killed in the past 24 hours, alongside Salem al-Shaer, 26, head of the equipment department at Rafah Youth Club, and Ahmed al-Jawrani, 40, a former star of Al-Salah Sports Club. Israeli forces have killed at least 670 Palestinian athletes since the genocide in Gaza began nearly two years ago, according to Palestinian sports officials. تغطية صحفية: استشهاد لاعب المنتخب الفلسطيني لكرة السلة "محمد شعلان" بعد استهدافه برصاص قوات الاحتلال أثناء محاولته الحصول على المساعدات الإنسانية في خانيونس لإطعام أطفاله. — الجرمق الإخباري (@aljarmaqnet) August 19, 2025 Earlier this month, Israeli forces killed former football star Suleiman al-Obeid, nicknamed "Palestinian Pele". He was also killed while queuing at an aid distribution site run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Israeli forces have killed more than 2,000 Palestinians at GHF sites since late May. The GHF launched a controversial aid distribution mechanism on 27 May following nearly three months of an Israeli blockade on the entry of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip. Human rights groups have since accused it of being complicit in international crimes.

Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Middle East Eye
Palestinian basketball star killed by Israel while trying to obtain food from GHF aid site
A Palestinian national basketball team player was killed by Israel while seeking food for his family in Khan Younis, Arabic media reported on Tuesday. Mohammed Shaalan, a famous Palestinian player who earned the nickname 'The Earthquake,' was targeted by Israeli gunfire while trying to obtain food for his children at an American and Israeli food distribution site. Shaalan was desperate to bring food back to his daughter who suffers from Kidney failure, Arabic media reports said. Palestinians have been attacked by US mercenaries and Israeli soldiers while trying to take meager food supplies from sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).