Palestinian goalkeeper shot by Israeli forces in Gaza

A Palestinian footballer was shot and killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip this week, an incident that has prompted renewed international condemnation and calls for FIFA to sanction Israel. Saleem al-Ashqar, a 32-year-old goalkeeper for the Khadamat Khan Younis club, died from his wounds after being struck by gunfire in the town of al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Younis.

According to the Palestinian Football Association, al-Ashqar was cycling in search of a gas cylinder for his home when he was hit. He was taken to a hospital, where medical examinations revealed severe internal hemorrhaging and damage to his stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas. A spokesperson said the hospital's limited capabilities, a result of the ongoing conflict's strain on Gaza's health sector, made it impossible to control the bleeding, and al-Ashqar died approximately two hours after arrival.

Al-Ashqar, who also played for Gaza's Al-Aqsa and Al-Musaddar clubs, was married five months ago and leaves behind a pregnant wife. His death brings the total number of Palestinian sports figures killed since October 2023 to 1,009, including at least 567 footballers, according to the Palestinian Football...