Palestinian Goalkeeper Saleem Al-Ashqar Killed by Israeli Army in Gaza

The Israeli army has been implicated in the recent death of Palestinian goalkeeper, Saleem Al-Ashqar, in the Gaza Strip. The tragic incident occurred earlier this week while Al-Ashqar was reportedly cycling to refill a gas cylinder for his household. The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) confirmed that the area was subjected to intense shelling from a nearby Israeli tank, during which Al-Ashqar was struck by an errant bullet in his abdomen.

According to the PFA, the footballer was immediately rushed to a medical facility. Examinations there revealed severe internal bleeding and extensive damage to his stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas. PFA spokesperson, Dima Youssef, explained the dire situation: "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."

Throughout his career, Al-Ashqar was a notable figure in Gaza's football scene, playing for clubs such as Khadamat Khan Younis, Al-Aqsa, and Al-Masdar. He leaves behind his wife, whom he married just five months prior and who is currently expecting their first child. Al-Ashqar was the sole son in his family and is also survived by his seven sisters.

His demise tragically adds to the escalating toll of Palestinian sports figures killed since the commencement of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, bringing the total to 1,009. This figure includes at least 567 footballers. Among the previously reported casualties was Suleiman al-Obeid, who was fatally shot by Israeli forces last August while attempting to gather humanitarian aid, marking one of the most prominent killings of a Palestinian sportsperson during what has been described as Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.