Palestinian footballer Mahmoud Abdel-Malek killed in Israeli air strike
An Israeli air strike in Gaza has killed Palestinian footballer Mr. Mahmoud Kamal Fares Abdel-Malek. The Palestine Football Association (PFA) confirmed the news. The PFA says Mr. Abdel-Malek was the captain and goalkeeper of Gaza Sports Club. He died in Tuesday’s attack in the Sabra area, in the south of Gaza City.
Mr. Abdel-Malek was 20 years old. The PFA says he was the 1,017th person linked to the sports world to die in the ongoing war in Gaza. Just five days before his death, he played in the final of the Gaza and North Gaza division of the “Thousand Martyrs Cup.” The tournament carries this name to honour more than 1,000 athletes and sports officials killed in Gaza since October 2023.
Gaza Sports Club shared the news of his death on social media. The club wrote: “Mahmoud Kamal Fares Abdel-Malek, a legend of the club and goalkeeper of the first team, became a martyr a short while ago.” Gaza Sports Club finished as runner up in the tournament final held last week.
More than 200 clubs took part in the tournament. Of these, 146 came from the occupied West Bank, 44 from Gaza and 36 from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. The tournament began in all three areas at the same time.
PFA President Mr. Jibril Rajoub said the event proved that Palestinians have not lost their “national will.” He said: “We have also not lost our belief that sport will remain a symbol of hope and life.”
A few days before Mr. Abdel-Malek died, Israeli forces shot and killed 15 year old Mohammad Nidal Barbak. He was playing football with friends in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. These incidents have again brought attention to FIFA’s inaction against Israel.
In March, the Palestine Football Association demanded a ban on the Israel Football Association. A report by FIFA’s disciplinary committee had said the Israel Football Association failed to act against the repeated and documented racist behaviour of the club Beitar Jerusalem. At that time, Mr. Rajoub said: “We will continue our efforts to demand the expulsion of the Israel Football Association from all international bodies.”
Palestinian sports officials say Gaza’s sports infrastructure has also suffered heavy damage. They say stadiums, clubs, sports halls and academies have been destroyed, and bulldozers have flattened many sports facilities.
Mr. Mustafa Siyam, Secretary General of the Palestine Sports Media Federation, says the deaths and destruction have pushed Palestinian sport into an “existential crisis.” He says more than 50 of the 56 sports clubs in Gaza that were set up with FIFA’s help have been destroyed. About 20 mini football grounds have also been destroyed.
According to Palestine’s Ministry of Health, Israeli attacks have killed at least 74,645 Palestinians and injured 175,978 since 7 October 2023.
