A spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) responded to Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah that they do not have information about who was responsible for the death of Palestinian footballer Suleiman al Obeid, after the Liverpool star called on UEFA to openly address the circumstances of his death.
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According to the Palestinian Football Association, Al Obeid was killed by Israeli forces while collecting aid in Gaza.
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What did Salah say about the death of a Palestinian footballer?
After UEFA bid farewell to Al Obeid in a brief message on their X account without mentioning the circumstances, Salah sarcastically asked the European confederation on the same social network: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?” This ended up being one of the most widely shared posts of the year within hours, with over 90 million views. The UEFA account did not respond.
What was done was by the Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani, who personally addressed the footballer to indicate that “after an initial review, we did not find any records of any incidents related to Suleiman al Obeid”.
“For a deeper investigation, we need more details,” added the military spokesperson.
Who was Suleiman al Obeid?
Al Obeid, 41, and nicknamed the “Palestinian Pelé,” died on Wednesday when Israeli forces attacked people waiting near an aid distribution center in southern Gaza, according to the Palestinian Football Association.
“Former national team player and star of the Khadamat al Shati team, Suleiman Al Obeid, was martyred after the occupying forces attacked those waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday,” they said in a statement.
With the death of Al Obeid, the number of Palestinian athletes and their relatives killed in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, has increased to 662.