Two Palestinian football players were killed on Saturday following an Israeli airstrike targeting the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Football Association said in a statement on its Facebook page.
The statement affirmed that player Ahmed Ali Salah, from the Al-Khader Professional Academy, was martyred after being shot by the occupation forces, while player Imad Hawajri, a player from the Rabat Club, was targeted as a result of direct Israeli shelling of the camp.
This targeting is part of a long series of violations of Palestinian athletes and sports facilities since the start of the aggression.
Previously, the Association had announced that the occupation had killed more than 807 martyrs from the sports and scouting movements during the 656 days of war, in flagrant violation of all international and humanitarian norms and laws.
It noted that Palestinian football alone has suffered 420 martyrs, including players, coaches, and administrators, amid international disregard for these devastating human losses among athletes.
The Association’s statement called on international sports organizations to assume their responsibilities in halting the systematic attacks on athletes and sports facilities, and holding the occupation accountable for its repeated violations against Palestinian sports.
