Press Release: Veritas Press C.I.C.
Author: Kamran Faqir
Article Date Published: 09 Aug 2025 at 08:07 GMT
Category: Middle East | Palestine-Gaza | US-Israel At War
Source(s): Veritas Press C.I.C. | Multi News Agencies
A National Icon Felled Amid Crisis
Suleiman Ahmed Zaid al-Obeid, born March 24, 1984, in Gaza City, emerged as one of Palestinian football’s brightest talents, earning the nickname “Palestinian Pelé.” He passed away on August 6, 2025, at age 41, shot while waiting for humanitarian aid in southern Gaza.
A forward and winger by trade, al-Obeid began his journey with Khadamat al-Shati, later playing for Markaz Shabab al-Am’ari in the West Bank, Gaza Sport, and returning to Khadamat al-Shati through to 2023. His international debut for the Palestine national team came in 2007; over his career, he made 19 official appearances and scored two goals, including a spectacular scissor kick against Yemen at the 2010 WAFF Championship.
Throughout his career, al-Obeid scored over 100 club goals, a testament to his prolific ability and enduring legacy.
He is survived by his wife and five children.
Broader Toll On Palestine’s Sporting Community:
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) confirms al-Obeid’s death brings the grim toll of athletes and sports officials killed since October 7, 2023, to 662, including players, coaches, referees, administrators, and club officials.
More recent figures from Palestinian officials suggest the toll may now exceed 800 athletes killed in Gaza alone, with 421 footballers among them, nearly half reportedly children, as of early August 2025.
Simultaneously, the destruction of sports infrastructure continues unabated. The PFA states 288 sports facilities, including stadiums, clubs, and training grounds, have been partially or fully destroyed, 268 of these located in Gaza.
A Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies:
Al-Obeid was one of at least 1,300 Palestinians killed near aid distribution points since late May 2025, including over 18 in the same incident where he was fatally shot. Hospitals across Gaza have also reported escalating famine-related deaths: at least 197 have died from starvation and malnutrition so far in 2025, with 96 children among them.
The humanitarian emergency has deepened. Only a fraction of the required aid is entering Gaza, and up to a million people may be displaced if Israeli plans to seize control of Gaza City proceed. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the strategy a “dangerous escalation” .
Summary Of Narratives:
- Personal Tribute: Al-Obeid was celebrated as a local hero, a gifted player familiar to fans as the “Palestinian Pelé,” with a career marked by dazzling goals, club success, and national recognition.
- Community Devastation: His death is part of a wider pattern of targeting athletes, decimating both human talent and infrastructure essential to Palestinian sport.
- Humanitarian Collapse: Gaza’s dire humanitarian situation, especially around aid distribution zones, underscores the lethal intersection of conflict, deprivation, and cultural erasure.
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