Palestinian goalkeeper, Saleem Al-Ashqar was k!lled earlier this week in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army.
The football player was riding his bicycle to refill a gas cylinder for his home when the area came under heavy fire from an Israeli tank stationed nearby, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) told The New Arab, adding that he was struck by a stray bullet that lodged in his abdomen.
The PFA added that he was immediately rushed to hospital, where examinations revealed severe internal hemorrhaging and extensive damage to his stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas.
“Despite medical efforts, the hospital’s severely limited capabilities—exacerbated by the collapse of Gaza’s health sector due to the ongoing war of extermination, as well as shortages of equipment, electricity, and medical staff—made it impossible to control the internal bleeding. Given the severity of his injuries, Al-Ashqar passed away about two hours after arriving at the hospital,” spokesperson Dima Youssef told TNA.
Throughout his athletic career, Al-Ashqar played for Khadamat Khan Younis, Al-Aqsa and Al-Masdar in the Gaza Strip. He leaves behind his wife, whom he married just five months ago and who is expecting their first child.
Al-Ashqar, who was the only son in his family, is also survived by his seven sisters.
His death brings the total number of Palestinian sports people killed since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza to 1,009, which includes at least 567 footballers.
Among them was Suleiman al-Obeid, who was shot and killed by Israeli forces as he attempted to collect humanitarian aid in August last year, in one of the most high-profile killings of a Palestinian sportsperson since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.