Football superstar Mohamed Sarah called for European football governing bodies on Saturday after Palestinian footballer Suleiman Al-Ouid was killed in Gaza.
Egyptian Liverpool, the most famous Arab player in the game, noted that the UEFA post did not mention the circumstances of Al-Ouid’s death.
According to the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), Al Obaid, a member of the Palestinian national team during his play day, was killed by an Israeli strike targeting civilians awaiting aid in southern Gaza.
“Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the “Palestine Pere.” “The talent that gave countless children hope, even in the darkest times,” wrote UEFA in a post on X.
Sarah responded to the post on Saturday: “How did he die, where and why?” His remarks quickly gained traction online, with over 840,000 likes by Saturday night.
UEFA has not been made public any more. CNN contacted the Swiss-based agency for comment.
Later on Saturday, the PFA shared a statement in Arabic, saying it was sent by UEFA President Alexander Ceferin, expressing his sadness over Al Obeid’s death.
Al Obaid has shown that “desire, talent and pride can bloom despite suffering,” a statement attributed to Ceferin said.. “His talent and dedication in the game has given them to children, beyond their hopes, tomorrow.”
According to the PFA, Al Obaid was born in Gaza City and was 41 years old when he was killed. He had scored over 100 goals throughout his long career, it said.
A four-time Premier League top goals scorer, Sarah is one of the best footballers to oppose the war in Gaza. He has previously called for humanitarian assistance to “quickly” enclaves to help world leaders end the battle, and allow “genocides” to halt.
According to PFA, 325 members of soccer The community has been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023. This includes players, managers, referees, coaches and other staff.
The United Nations says more than 1,300 people have been killed by Israeli forces while they were seeking food since late May. Of these, more than 800 people have been killed near the GHF site, according to the United Nations.
Currently, 75% of all UN members recognize Palestinian sovereign states, with more countries including the UK, France and Canada recently unveiling plans to do the same. At the United Nations, Palestine is now a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly, as the United States consistently blocks full UN membership.
However, as a soccer team, Palestine has been recognized since 1998 by the World Governing Body of Sports FIFA. They have played in the last three Asian Cup tournaments, but are not eligible for the World Cup yet.
