Gaza: Palestinian footballer Muhannad al-Lili, a player for the Nadi Khadamat al-Maghazi football club, was killed following an Israeli airstrike on his family home in the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. He succumbed to his injuries several days after the bombing, reported the Vanguard News.
According to Palestinian sports journalist Leyla Hameed, al-Lili is the 439th footballer to be killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of the ongoing assault on Gaza. His recent wedding photos, shared widely on social media, have amplified the sorrow surrounding his death.
“This is our daily reality. Every day, we mourn a new athlete. Any of us could be next,” said fellow footballer Mohammad al-Sharif in a heartfelt social media post.
Palestinian journalist Abubaker Abed also voiced his frustration at the global silence, particularly among international sports outlets. “Many mourn the death of footballer Jota, which is indeed tragic. But not a single word has been spoken about the more than 425 footballers killed in Gaza or the destruction of Gaza’s entire sports infrastructure. These same voices cried for justice during the invasion of Ukraine. Racism and hypocrisy are at their peak,” he wrote on X.
The targeting of athletes and sports institutions in Gaza has been widely condemned by local activists, who say the world continues to ignore the cultural and sporting genocide occurring alongside the physical devastation.
