Al-Obeid was known as the “Pale of Palestinian football” and became one of his most brilliant stars.
The national Palestinian football team Suleiman al-Obeid was killed in an Israeli attack on the assistant seekers in Gaza.
Al-Obeid, 41, was killed on Wednesday when Israeli forces attacked people who were waiting near a help distribution center in southern Gaza, said Palestinian Football Association.
He was nicknamed “Pelé of Palestinian football” – after the Brazilian professional footballer widely considered as one of the best football players of all time.
During his long career, the Gaza player scored more than 100 goals, making him one of the brightest stars in Palestinian football.
“The former player of the national team and star of the Khadamat Al-Shati team, Suleiman al-Obeid, was martyred after the occupation forces (Israeli) targeted people who were waiting for humanitarian aid in the South Gaza Strip on Wednesday,” said Palestinan Football Association in a statement.
While FIFA refuses to ban Israel from its competitions, Israel has killed hundreds of football players in Gaza since October 2023.
They include Suleiman al-Obeid, who was nicknamed “Pelé of Palestinian football” and was killed while waiting for help in Gaza on August 6. pic.twitter.com/p9vozhj5w0
– AJ + (@Ajplus) August 6, 2025
With the death of Al-Obeid, the number of athletes and their family members have killed in the strip since the start of the War of Israel has increased to 662.
The number of deaths related to football in Gaza is now 321, including players, coaches, administrators, referees and members of the club’s board of directors.
The former football star began his career with the Khadamat Al-Shati Club in Gaza, before joining the ranks of the Al-Amari Youth Center Club in the West Bank.
Internationally, Al-Obeid played 24 international games with Al-Fida’i, scoring two goals, the most famous of which was a favorite goal against the Yemeni national team during the 2010 football federation in Asia-Ouest.
The football star leaves behind a woman and five children.
More than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed near the aid distribution sites managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation controversy since its start of operations at the end of May.
On Wednesday, at least 18 people were killed when they asked for help on Wednesday, Tel Aviv Tribune told Tel Aviv Tribune, in the midst of an increasing hunger crisis in the territory while Israel continues to impose serious restrictions on humanitarian aid supplies.
The Hospitals of Gaza, on the other hand, recorded four new deaths due to famine and malnutrition in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health of Enclave, increasing the total number of deaths related to 197, including 96 children, since Israel launched its war against Gaza in October 2023. Most of the deaths have been in recent weeks.