Gaza’s sports community is being wiped out

Palestinians this week commemorated one year since the start of the brutal war on Gaza, which has hit the sporting community hard.

The Israeli offensive has left scores of coaches, referees and athletes, including children, dead in a ruthless bombing of the besieged enclave that has left at least 42,000 Palestinians dead.

The Palestinian Olympic Committee estimates that 400 Palestinian athletes were killed in the Israeli attack on Gaza, while training grounds and sports infrastructure were destroyed.

This week we explore the sports scene in Gaza and highlight the powerful displays of solidarity from notable figures from the world of sports who have stepped up to support the Palestinians.

Dozens of athletes killed in Gaza war

Among those killed in the war on Gaza were dozens of Palestinian athletes, including the Khan Yunis Youth Club player and one of Gaza’s most prominent goalkeepers, Shadi Abu Al-Araj, who was killed in the Al-Mawasi massacre, claiming the lives of over 90 Palestinians .

Abu Al-Arraj’s death came after the club’s former technical director Taha Kallab and team captain Muhammad Barakat were killed in separate Israeli attacks.

In November, Palestinian volleyball players Hassan Zuaiter and Ibrahim Qassi’a were killed in a bomb attack on the Jabalia refugee camp.

Many under-16s at the Al-Wahda Sports Academy in Deir al-Balah also died in Israeli bombings, including three young footballers in April.

In June, three Al-Ahli Gaza footballers – Ahmad Abu al-Atta, Anas Iqilan and Muhammad Barakat – were killed. Barakat, the team captain, was affectionately known as “The Legend of Khan Younis” for his years of commitment to the city’s youth team.

Hani Mesmeh, a FIFA international referee from Palestine, was killed in airstrikes in June.

Palestine’s first Olympian died from lack of treatment

Palestine’s first Olympic runner, Majed Abu Maraheel, died in June from kidney failure, worsened by power outages caused by the ongoing Israeli siege and bombings.

Majed Abu Maraheel was a pioneer of Palestinian athletics and represented the Palestinians on several international sporting stages. In 1995 he took part in the Arab Athletics Championships.

The following year, he represented Palestine at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, becoming the country’s first Olympian and Olympic flag bearer.

He competed in the men’s 10,000 meters event and was ultimately eliminated after finishing 21st in his qualifying group.

After completing his university education, he retired from athletics and later served as a track and field coach for several runners on the Palestinian national athletics team, including Olympians Nader al-Masri, Bahaa al-Farra and Woroud Sawalha.

The athletes who stood up for Gaza

Formula One, tennis, soccer, basketball and other sports stars expressed their support for the Palestinians this week to mark the one-year anniversary of the start of Israel’s attack on Gaza.

Despite restrictions on political speech imposed by their governing bodies, many took to social media to call for an end to Israel’s brutal military offensive on the besieged enclave

Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton appealed to X, saying “enough is enough” and calling for an end to the “horrible” war against “children and their families”.

Kyrie Irving, an eight-time NBA All-Star, showed his solidarity by wearing a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh during a post-game press conference – a strong gesture of support towards Palestinians.

In football, two football legends, Eric Cantona and Karim Benzema, used their platforms to criticize the attacks on Gaza. Cantona questioned global support for crimes against humanity, while Benzema called for prayers for victims of violence in Gaza.

In tennis, US Open champion Coco Gauff stressed the importance of raising public awareness of the war and urged people to educate themselves and demand change from their leaders.

Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur has donated part of her prize money from the Women’s Tennis Association to support Palestinians in Gaza.

“It is very hard to see children and babies dying every day. “It’s heartbreaking, so I decided to donate some of my prize money to help the Palestinians,” she said at the time.

Egyptian soccer player Mohamed Salah also donated an undisclosed sum to support relief efforts in Gaza.

The Liverpool star called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the enclave and urged world leaders to end the fighting.

Members of the Moroccan national football team, including Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui, publicly supported Palestine through their social media platforms by offering prayers and raising awareness.

Popular UFC fighters Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev also expressed their support for Gaza by sharing pro-Palestinian messages and images on social media.

Meanwhile, FIFA, football’s governing body, announced earlier this month that it would “further investigate” the future of Israel’s participation in international football after a year of calls for it to be banned.