Israel’s Military Has Shot And Killed This Palestinian Footballer In Gaza
A bullet struck Al-Ashqar in the chest, killing him instantly.
Israel's military has shot and killed Palestinian goalkeeper Saleem Al-Ashqar in Gaza.
32-year-old Al-Ashqar, who got married about six months earlier and was expecting his first child with his wife, played as a goalkeeper for Khadamat Khan Younis, a football club in the southern Gaza Strip.
He was riding his bicycle to refill a gas cylinder for his home in the town of Al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Younis, on Monday, June 29, when an Israeli tank opened fire at unarmed civilians, a relative told Palestinians news agency WAFA.
A bullet then struck Al-Ashqar in the chest, killing him instantly.
Football is central to life in Gaza, as it is across the Palestinian territories, and Gaza has its own domestic football league with several active clubs.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least 1,009 athletes in Gaza, including 567 people from the football community, including players, coaches, referees and administrators.
News of Al-Ashqar’s death spread through the football world as the FIFA 2026 World Cup's knockout stage continued.
Chilean club Deportivo Palestino, which was founded by Palestinian immigrants and has long been vocal in support of Palestinians, issued a statement mourning Al-Ashqar and calling for justice and peace.
FIFA has not issued a public statement on Al-Ashqar’s killing.
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