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Middle East Eye
5 days ago
- Middle East Eye
Israel killed the ‘Palestinian Pele' and his dream of a new football era in Gaza
During a footballing career spanning decades, Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid played 24 times for the Palestinian national team and earned the accolade the 'Palestinian Pele' for a style that resembled the Brazilian legend. For all his achievements on the pitch, his life ended on Friday, like hundreds of fellow Palestinians in Gaza, when he was killed by the Israeli army while collecting aid for his family from a US and Israel-backed aid distribution point in Rafah, southern Gaza. Obeid had joined crowds of aid seekers after months of siege and Israeli-imposed starvation, and saw no other way of feeding his family. According to witnesses, an Israeli quadcopter dropped a munition on him at the site, killing him instantly. Israeli soldiers and foreign security contractors have killed close to 1,400 Palestinians at aid distribution points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial food distribution operation that replaced aid distribution networks run by humanitarian groups. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Middle East Eye spoke to Obeid's wife, Doaa, 35, who said her husband had been visiting the aid distribution centres for more than a month, in order to obtain food. 'Suleiman began to look for aid after all of our stored food ran out. Market prices are skyrocketing and there is no cash available,' she said. 'My husband had to walk into death traps to feed our children'. According to Doaa, Suleiman could feel the threat of death intensifying, the longer the GHF aid operation continued. 'He was sure he would be killed there' - Doaa, wife of Suleiman al-Obeid Mass killings at GHF sites have been a daily occurrence since the operation started in late May, but little to nothing has been done to prevent Palestinians from dying. 'The last three times he went to the aid centre, he told me it was getting more dangerous every day. 'He described bullets whizzing past his head like rain. He was sure he would be killed there, and refused to take our eldest son, Naseem, who is 17, with him.' The risks notwithstanding, Suleiman felt he had a duty to join the lines of aid seekers. His wife said the ordeal of joining the queues for food handouts was humiliating for Suleiman, given his past as a celebrated sportsman in Palestine. 'He was ashamed to go there. He even wore a cap to hide his face so no one would recognise him,' Doaa said. 'He ignored his own feelings to feed our children, terrified by the thought of them going hungry. 'I begged him many times to stop going. I told him maybe we could survive without food, but not without him. 'He refused, saying he had hungry children to feed and couldn't bear to see them go without.' Deliberate killings According to Doaa, Israeli quadcopters deliberately fired on crowds waiting for food on the day Suleiman was killed. News of her husband's death reached her a few hours after he had left, but she refused to believe it was true, until his body was brought back for burial from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. She received him covered in a white shroud, his face unrecognisable under dried blood. War on Gaza: GHF aid scheme is 'orchestrated killing,' says MSF Read More » 'I can't describe the pain I felt when I saw him dead. But I told myself it was better than him losing a leg, he was terrified of the idea,' she said. 'He used to say he couldn't stand the thought of being disabled after being such a skilled player. 'The lucky ones were those who escaped alive; the luckiest were those who escaped with a few meals in hand,' she added. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has faced international criticism since its inception, over its distribution methods and the locations of its sites, which are situated dangerously close to Israeli military positions. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), more than 1,400 people have been killed by Israeli forces while waiting for aid near distribution points or along the routes of humanitarian convoys near the northwestern border of Gaza. Whistleblower Anthony Aguilar, a former US army officer who worked for GHF, has described indiscriminate shooting by Israeli soldiers targeting the crowds of aid seekers. In numerous interviews, he has said he did not encounter any military justification for the opening of fire. Gaza is in Phase 5 (catastrophic) on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) scale, with over 96 percent of its population facing severe food insecurity, according to the United Nations. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has recorded over 197 deaths from malnutrition so far in August, including 96 children. The dream of a new generation Obeid had a number of nicknames besides "Pele", including the Gazelle, the Palestinian Henry, after former France and Arsenal forward Thierry Henry, and the Black Pearl, and he was considered one of Gaza's most beloved sporting figures. He spent his career playing for local clubs, most notably al-Shati, al-Am'ari, and Gaza Sports Club. Egypt signs record $35bn gas deal with Israel, paying 14 percent more for imports Read More » In his later years, he trained to become a football coach, hoping to become a youth coach and nurture a generation capable of competing beyond Gaza's borders. 'Obeid wasn't just a friend and former teammate on the national team, he was one of the most talented and ambitious players I'd ever known,' said Mohammad Abu Aita, a former Palestinian national player and current trainer. 'He had a beautiful spirit and was a role model for young athletes.' Abu Aita explained that Obeid had lived a difficult life and wanted to change the way football was viewed in Gaza. By training young players to a high level, he would help Gaza's youth access a route out of poverty. 'He left a mark on everyone in Gaza's sports scene. People loved talking to him and taking photos with him. 'He had the ability to influence others and bring real change in his field. I was certain he would have excelled as a coach,' Abu Aita told MEE. 'What hurts most is that the career of such a great player came with a tragic end while he was trying to feed his children. 'He thought his final days would be in the national team's training rooms, not in a blood-soaked street for a few kilos of flour' - Mohammad Abu Aita, former Palestinian footballer 'He thought his final days would be in the national team's training rooms, not in a blood-soaked street for a few kilos of flour.' The Palestinian Football Association says Israel has killed around 762 athletes and sports officials in various disciplines during its war on Gaza, and has destroyed more than 267 sports facilities in whole or in part, as part of a systematic policy to wipe out all aspects of life in the Strip. 'I think reviving sports in Gaza will be extremely difficult because almost all facilities have been destroyed, and there will be no priority for rebuilding them after the war, especially with urgent needs in the health sector and humanitarian relief taking precedence,' Abu Aita added. Obeid's killing shocked sports communities beyond Palestine. International media outlets reported his death, and tributes poured in worldwide. Uefa posted a condolence message on X (formerly Twitter) without mentioning the circumstances of his death, drawing sharp criticism from thousands, including Mohamed Salah. The Liverpool star asked: 'Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?'
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Fans and family honour ‘Palestinian Pele' killed in Gaza
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Doaa, the widow of late footballer Suleiman Al-Obeid, known as the "Palestinian Pele," who was killed by an Israeli strike targeting people waiting for humanitarian aid, according to the Palestine Football Association, looks at his picture while holding his shorts, as her son sits beside her inside their tent in Gaza City on Aug 9, 2025. GAZA CITY – The 'Pele' of Palestinian football hoped to keep scoring goals until he was 50. An Israeli tank shell dashed that dream a decade early, his family said, killing Suleiman al-Obeid as he queued in southern Gaza last week to collect food. Obeid's widow Doaa al-Obeid now clutches the blue-and-white No. 10 shorts he wore for his Gaza club, Al-Shati, one of the only mementos she has of her late husband, as she and her five children mourn the revered 41-year-old striker. 'This is the most precious thing left behind by him,' she said. The family have few other belongings of Obeid, whose home was destroyed in a bombardment earlier in 2025. They now live in a tent among the ruins of a neighbourhood of Gaza City. Obeid, likened by fans to Brazilian great Pele for his skills and goalscoring, hit headlines this week after Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah criticised a tribute to Obeid by Europe's governing body Uefa that did not mention the cause of death. 'Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?' wrote Salah. The Palestinian Football Association said Obeid was killed in an attack by the Israeli military in southern Gaza while waiting to collect aid at a distribution point. His family said it was a tank shell that killed him. Responding to Salah's post on X, an Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said: 'Hey Mohamed, After an initial review, we found no records of any incidents involving Suleiman al-Obeid. In order to take a closer look, we need more details.' Obeid, who had played for the Palestinian national team, was still playing for his club in Gaza when the war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023. Hamas attacked Israeli towns and villages killing more than 1,200 people. Israel in response has laid waste to the Gaza Strip, a coastal enclave housing more than 2 million people, and killed some 61,000 Palestinians. Most have been killed by airstrikes, artillery and gunfire, but a growing number are starving to death. Obeid kept playing throughout the hardship, his widow Doaa said. 'He used to go training every day and never stopped, not a single day. Even during the crisis of war, in the midst of rockets, shelling and mass killing, he would go play. He used to gather his friends and loved ones and go play with them,' she said. The Palestinian Football Association says hundreds of athletes and sports officials are among those killed by Israel's assault, with most sports facilities now destroyed. Palestinian football fans say they will focus not on Obeid's violent death but his legacy. 'Children called him the Henry and Pele of Palestine,' said Hassan al-Balawi, a barber in Gaza City, in a comparison also with French great Thierry Henry. 'This player was a gazelle – when we stepped onto the pitch, we enjoyed watching him. All Palestinian football fans enjoyed captain Suleiman al-Obeid.' REUTERS
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
Fans and family honor ‘Palestinian Pele' killed in Gaza while queuing for aid
Doaa, the widow of late soccer player Suleiman Al-Obeid, known as the "Palestinian Pele," who was killed by an Israeli strike targeting people waiting for humanitarian aid, looks at his picture while holding his shorts, as her son sits beside her inside their tent in Gaza City August 9, 2025. REUTERS/ Ebrahim Hajjaj GAZA CITY — The "Pele" of Palestinian soccer hoped to keep scoring goals until he was 50. An Israeli tank shell dashed that dream a decade early, his family said, killing Suleiman al-Obeid as he queued in southern Gaza this week to collect food. Obeid's widow Doaa al-Obeid now clutches the blue-and-white number 10 shorts he wore for his Gaza club, Al-Shati, one of the only mementos she has of her late husband, as she and her five children mourn the revered 41-year-old striker. "This is the most precious thing left behind by him," she said. The family have few other belongings of Obeid, whose home was destroyed in a bombardment earlier this year. They now live in a tent among the ruins of a neighborhood of Gaza City. Obeid, likened by fans to Brazilian great Pele for his skills and goal scoring, hit headlines this week after Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah criticized a tribute to Obeid by Europe's governing body UEFA that did not mention the cause of death. "Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?" wrote Salah. The Palestinian Football Association said Obeid was killed in an attack by the Israeli military in southern Gaza while waiting to collect aid at a distribution point. His family said it was a tank shell that killed him. Responding to Salah's post on X, an Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said: "Hey Mohamed, After an initial review, we found no records of any incidents involving Suleiman al-Obeid. In order to take a closer look, we need more details." Obeid, who had played for the Palestinian national team, was still playing for his club in Gaza when the war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023. Hamas attacked Israeli towns and villages killing more than 1,200 people. Israel in response has laid waste to the Gaza Strip, a coastal enclave housing more than 2 million people, and killed some 61,000 Palestinians. Most have been killed by airstrikes, artillery and gunfire, but a growing number are starving to death. 'This player was a gazelle' Obeid kept playing throughout the hardship, his widow Doaa said. "He used to go training every day and never stopped, not a single day. Even during the crisis of war, in the midst of rockets, shelling and mass killing, he would go play. He used to gather his friends and loved ones and go play with them," she said. The Palestinian Football Association says hundreds of athletes and sports officials are among those killed by Israel's assault, with most sports facilities now destroyed. Palestinian soccer fans say they will focus not on Obeid's violent death but his legacy. "Children called him the Henry and Pele of Palestine," said Hassan al-Balawi, a barber in Gaza City, in a comparison also with French great Thierry Henry. "This player was a gazelle—when we stepped onto the pitch, we enjoyed watching him. All Palestinian soccer fans enjoyed Captain Suleiman al-Obeid." — Reuters
Middle East Eye
04-07-2025
- General
- Middle East Eye
Opinion: In Gaza, children are learning the alphabet through grief and hunger
On the evening of Friday, 6 October 2023, my aunt Doaa, a kindergarten teacher in Gaza, had just finished preparing new activities for her students. She was excited to see their reactions the next morning. Tragically, the next day, 7 October, marked the end of any semblance of normal life and the beginning of a war that shattered everything. Since then, Israeli air strikes have pounded every corner of Gaza - homes, hospitals, schools, and even kindergartens have not been spared. Doaa's house was reduced to a heap of rubble, burying her teaching materials and the toys she had bought for her students - children who deserved to live. A Palestinian woman and children stand amid the rubble at a kindergarten hit by Israeli air strikes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on 9 December 2023 (Said Khatib/AFP)
Middle East Eye
04-07-2025
- General
- Middle East Eye
In Gaza, children are learning the alphabet through grief and hunger
On the evening of Friday, 6 October 2023, my aunt Doaa, a kindergarten teacher in Gaza, had just finished preparing new activities for her students. She was excited to see their reactions the next morning. Tragically, the next day, 7 October, marked the end of any semblance of normal life and the beginning of a war that shattered everything. Since then, Israeli air strikes have pounded every corner of Gaza - homes, hospitals, schools, and even kindergartens have not been spared. Doaa's house was reduced to a heap of rubble, burying her teaching materials and the toys she had bought for her students - children who deserved to live. Last winter, after Israeli forces withdrew from her neighbourhood, she returned home to sift through the debris. She searched for her memories - personal keepsakes - and her teaching tools - music notebooks, geometric shapes, animal figurines. When all that turned up was an alphabet book and a few illustrated storybooks, she placed them in a small box alongside salvaged clothes and utensils, as if they whispered to her: "Don't give up. There's still hope." New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters From rubble to resolve Like her home, Israeli bombs had reduced Doaa's kindergarten classroom to ruins. Months later, however, driven by her passion for education and refusal to let Gaza's children fall prey to ignorance, she secured a small room in a neighbourhood of the Maghazi refugee camp to start anew. The room was far from ideal for teaching young children: bare, colourless, and without the green garden or playground of her destroyed kindergarten. During lessons, sudden explosions send children dropping their pencils to cover their ears. Doaa calms them with games and reassurance, though the war's scars run deep Yet Doaa worked tirelessly to make it a safe space. She hung colourful wallpaper, installed a blackboard, and, despite Gaza's siege and soaring prices, provided paints, stationery and a speaker for motivational songs to ease the children's fears before lessons. Only 13 students, all from nearby, enrolled. Many parents, gripped by fear of random bombings and hampered by Gaza's broken communication networks, kept their children away. Before the war, students rode a bus to kindergarten and returned home safely. But what little security existed back then has been shattered by daily terror. Those who attend Doaa's class come with an older sibling or parent, whispering warnings to avoid streets patrolled by "quadcopter" drones - small, deadly machines that mimic cries for help or ambulance sirens to lure and attack people. Teaching under terror During lessons, sudden explosions send children dropping their pencils to cover their ears. Doaa calms them with games and reassurance, though the war's scars run deep. She notices how it has reshaped their minds. Instead of chatter about colouring books or crayons, their conversations revolve around politics, flour prices and scarce goods. Follow Middle East Eye's live coverage of the Israel-Palestine war Teaching five-year-olds the alphabet in this reality is daunting, Doaa tells me. When she introduces the letter "A" with the word "apple", their eyes fill with longing. They stray from the lesson, confessing how they miss fruit, chicken or chocolate. Inspired by the stories she reads to them, they dream of a magic genie to grant their wishes. Osama wants a watermelon; Mira dreams of flying to an amusement park; Sobhi longs for a bicycle and for his father's job to return; Ezz wishes for new Eid clothes; Majd simply prays for the war to end and death to stop. Palestinian children sit in a classroom renovated by kindergarten teacher Doaa, where she resumed lessons after her original school was destroyed, in the Maghazi refugee camp on 26 February 2025 (Supplied) When I ask Doaa about the hardest question her students have posed, she recalls a child asking her when the war will end. They ask with such trust, believing their teacher holds the answer. Doaa offers hopeful responses like, "Soon, we'll return to our beautiful kindergarten", though she knows some remain unconvinced, which weighs heavily on her heart. Dreams deferred Doaa feels powerless before her students' dreams - basic needs that children elsewhere take for granted. How have food and toys become wishes that only a genie could fulfil? Each of the 13 children in her class also carries a unique story of loss. War on Gaza: My son was born into a world on fire Read More » Some live in tents after losing their homes. Others suffer broken teeth and frail bodies from hunger and malnutrition. Many have lost family members. Ezz, for instance, lost his grandfather and uncles in a strike on his grandfather's house. During a condolence visit, Doaa saw his mother weeping inconsolably as Ezz stood beside her, grasping the meaning of death and loss for the first time - concepts that Israel forces Palestinian children to learn too soon. Sobhi, named after his mother's brother who was killed in an earlier war, bears a name that ties a painful past to an even crueller present. Yet amid the brutality of Israel's genocide and occupation, Doaa clings to her alphabet book and a stubborn hope that her students can learn words beyond death and war. On their behalf, she urges the international community to act swiftly to protect Gaza's children, ensure their right to safe education, and create a world where their childhoods can thrive and young wings can soar. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
