Latest news with #Shaalan
News18
11 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Ex-Palestinian Basketball Player Dies In Israeli Strike Days After Death Of ‘Palestinian Pelé'
Last Updated: Mohammed Shaalan was killed in an Israeli strike near an aid distribution centre while attempting to secure food and medicines for his ill daughter Maryam. Former Palestinian national basketball player Mohammed Shaalan was killed in an Israeli strike near an aid distribution centre in Gaza's Khan Younis on Tuesday, according to reports. Shaalan was killed while attempting to secure food and medicine for his sick daughter, Maryam, and the rest of his family, according to Middle East Eye. Maryam reportedly suffered from kidney failure and severe blood poisoning, and Shaalan had repeatedly appealed for help in proper medical treatment. Also known as al-Zilzal – which means 'The Earthquake' – Shaalan was a popular 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. Israeli forces have killed at least 670 Palestinian athletes since the genocide in Gaza began nearly two years ago, according to Palestinian sports officials. The UN said at least 1,857 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes while seeking food since late May. Israel's offensive has killed at least 62,122 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has come under growing pressure at home and abroad to end the war. This came days after ' Palestinian Pele ' Suleiman al-Obeid was killed when Israeli forces targeted people waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) said in a statement. Obeid, who was born in Gaza City and played 24 international matches for the Palestine team, was married and had five children. In October 2023, Salah urged world leaders to unite and permit humanitarian aid into Gaza to prevent further loss of innocent lives. The incident received widespread attention when Liverpool star player Mohamed Salah criticised UEFA for posting a tribute to Obeid without mentioning that he died after being struck by Israeli gunfire in the Gaza Strip. 'Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?" he said in response to UEFA's tribute. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Middle East Eye
16 hours ago
- Sport
- 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.
Saba Yemen
a day ago
- Sport
- Saba Yemen
Palestinian Basketball Player Martyred While Seeking Aid for His Children in Gaza
Palestinian Basketball Player Martyred While Seeking Aid for His Children in Gaza [Wed, 20 Aug 2025 02:57:21 +0300] Gaza – Saba: Former Palestinian national basketball team player and one of Gaza's most prominent basketball stars, Mohammed Shaalan (40 years old), was martyred on Tuesday after being shot by Israeli occupation forces in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. According to the Palestinian News Agency WAFA, citing local sources, the occupation forces opened fire on Shaalan as he attempted to reach humanitarian aid in Khan Younis to feed his children, leading to his death. Sources added that Shaalan had been desperately seeking food and medicine for his sick daughter, Maryam, who suffers from kidney failure and severe blood poisoning, repeatedly appealing for help to save her and secure treatment. Shaalan played for several Palestinian basketball clubs, including Khidmat Al-Bureij, Khidmat Al-Maghazi, Khidmat Khan Younis, Khidmat Al-Shati, Gaza Sports Club, the YMCA, and Khidmat Jabalia, in addition to representing the Palestinian national basketball team. With his death, the number of Palestinian sports figures martyred has risen to about 670, while Israeli forces have also destroyed 288 sports and scouting facilities in Gaza and the West Bank.
Roya News
a day ago
- Sport
- Roya News
Palestinian basketball player Mohammed Shaalan killed in Gaza while trying to feed his family
Mohammed Shaalan, a prominent player for the Palestinian national basketball team, known by the nickname 'The Earthquake,' was shot and killed by 'Israeli' forces on Tuesday evening while attempting to secure food for his children amid the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip. According to a Roya correspondent, Shaalan was trying to obtain food and medicine, particularly for his daughter Maryam, who suffers from severe kidney failure. The father had repeatedly appealed through media outlets and international organizations, urging urgent intervention to save her life. Shaalan, who represented Palestine in numerous Arab and international basketball tournaments, had seen his sports career curtailed by the harsh realities of war and the blockade. Despite his athletic achievements, he became one of many civilians killed while trying to provide for their families in Gaza.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
‘I can't get the patients I left behind out of my head' – healthcare staff to walk in silent solidarity with Gaza medics on Dublin march
Healthcare workers in Ireland, many of whom have saved lives in Gaza, will wear scrubs or dress in black for the march. Members of the public have also been invited to attend. One surgeon planning to attend, Mohamed Shaalan works at Tallaght Hospital and travelled from Dublin to work in Gaza in March last year. However, the father of four has been unable to return, and was recently stopped at the border. Dr Shaalan, who has developed specialised treatment for urgent medical needs in Gaza, said he grows increasingly concerned for his patients, his medical colleagues and the injured. He said he lost 9kg when he visited Gaza last year. But now – although he knows he would be risking his life re-entering the Gaza Strip – he wants to return. 'Food was incredibly scarce at that time, but I know there's almost no food now,' Dr Shaalan said. 'But I can't get the patients I left behind out of my head. I think of them every night and I pray for them. 'I'm a father, but I'm not afraid to go back to Gaza – I know it's the right thing to do.' An orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Shaalan – who is originally from Egypt but is now an Irish citizen and lives here with his family – previously volunteered in parts of Africa. He said that due to his experience working with little and rudimentary equipment, he is well placed to help in Gaza. The surgeon has developed a specialised treatment for patients suffering bone injury. However, he is currently only able to offer advice to his Palestinian medical colleagues remotely and he wants to be on the ground 'to save lives'. 'The injuries in Gaza, I've never seen before. It's terrible. People have multiple injuries. Seventy per cent of my patients were women and children,' he said. The children passed away from shock – in a normal country they would have been saved 'I saw a lot of children with third-degree burns, more than 60 to 70pc of their bodies were burned. 'The images stayed with me. I saw children pass away because there was no medical equipment to help cover the burnt skin. 'The children passed away from shock. In a normal country, like Ireland, they would have been saved.' Dr Shaalan said medical workers are being killed, along with the 'forgotten ambulance crews' in Gaza. 'Many are injured, many are killed. We don't know how many medical staff, doctors, nurses, ambulance crew have died,' he added. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Mahmoud Abumarzouq (43), from Gaza , who works at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan, Co Meath, has lost several members of his family in Gaza, including his brother Ahmet Mahmoud (29), and four of his nephews and nieces. 'People in Ireland, the UK and across the world need to put much more pressure on their governments to protect the people of Gaza, as well as medical professionals,' Dr Abumarzouq said. 'So many doctors have been killed in Gaza. We read about such horrors in the history books, but how can this be happening in 2025? 'It's important people show up, shout, protest, donate and pressurise politicians, because we are witnessing the collapse of the entire humanitarian system and legal system, as well as what is taking place in Gaza. 'European governments must put more pressure on Israel. We must protect the people of Gaza.' Though he works as a doctor in Navan and is a father of four children, Dr Abumarzouq said he 'splits' himself 'in three' to get through each day. 'We turn the news off at home because the children need to live a happy, normal life,' he said. 'But they know something is wrong in Gaza. I have to be empathetic and kind to my patients, and cannot bring this trauma with me to work. But since October 2023, I've not been the same person. I've been half-living in Ireland and half-living in Gaza, worrying for my family, grieving my people.' Anna Cleminson (51), a palliative care consultant at University Hospital Kerry, is also a trained GP. She volunteered in Gaza weeks before the conflict broke out in October 2023. Since then she has lost several Palestinian colleagues to the Israeli bombardment. Dr Cleminson is currently supporting an undergraduate medical training programme in Gaza despite the daily threat of Israeli strikes on medical students and medics. 'I'm marking their essays. It is vital to train doctors and nurses, so we need to continue to do that,' she said. 'For me, this is my small contribution and I know there's a strong link between Ireland and Gaza. My colleagues there and the people of Gaza gain some strength from people protesting here.'
