Palestine/Gaza: Since 7th October and still going on: Remembering the names of those footballers who are forever lost

This blog entry will remember and honor the footballers who were tragically killed during the indiscriminate ongoing Israeli carpet bombardment of Gaza since October 7th. These names and faces represent more than just statistics or numbers; they represent dreams, aspirations, and the potential for greatness that was abruptly taken away. Each loss is a devastating blow to the community and a heartbreaking reminder of the atrocities of the occupation. Their absence will be deeply felt on the football field but their memories will live on in the hearts of those who knew and admired them...

May the day come when we no longer have to mourn the loss of dreams and talents but rather celebrate the triumphs and achievements of individuals who have had the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest.

Rashid Dabbour,  star of the Palestine national team, and player of the Ahli Beit Hanoun club, was killed on October 10, 2023, during the Israeli occupation bombardment.

Yahia Manhal, Coach of Shabab Rafah Club

Mahmoud, Coach of Shabab Rafah Club

Mahmoud AlReefi, player in more than a few clubs in Gaza

Nader Abu Yousef, Sports Supervisor at Khadamat Al-Nusairat Club

Baraa Midhat Al Dheif, player of the children academy of Khadamat Khan Younis Club

Haitham Al A'r'iyr, player of the 3rd youth division in the Shaja'eiya Club

Mohammad Al-Ghazali, player of the 2nd youth division in Al-Sadaqa club. (Killed with most of his family)

Brothers Emad  and Mohammad Akram  Hijazi, stars of the Score football academy in Rafah

Wajeeh Abu Zayed, a player in the 2nd youth Division in Shabab Rafah club

Shadi Sabah, player of Deir Al-Balah (killed with all members of his family)

Mohammad Hassouneh, Captain of Shabab AlZawaydeh Club

Omar Al-Kilani, Referee 

Mohammad Al-Taweel, player of Ettihad Deir Al-Balah club

Osama Abu Nahar, 17 years old, player of  Markaz Tulkarm Professional Club.

Mohammad Qanan, player of the children academy of Khadamat Khan Younis

Mohammad Al-Moqayed, a child player who dreamed of being a Messi

Mohammad Ahmad Abu Zayed, former Chairman of Shabab Al-Zawaydeh club

Natheer AlNash'ash, player of Khadamat Al-Breij

Coach Emad Hamdan, Rafah 

Captain Tala'at Tabasi, an official in Al-Istiklal club, then Gaza club

Mahmoud and Mohammad Abu Dan, stars of the children's football academy of Hilal Gaza Club. They were killed with all the members of their family.

Fatehi Esei'fan, Pro Academy player

Abdelqader Rami Abdelqader AlAttar, player of the "Samba" Academy. He and his whole family were killed in the airstrikes

Hatem Al-Farra, player of Al-Qalaa Academy/Khan Younis

Mahmoud Abu Sneimeh, player of the Score Academy in Rafah

Following his brother, in a matter of days, Score Academy player Abdullah Abu Sneimeh is killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Advocate Hamada Mukhaimer, Legal Consultant of Khadamat Rafah Club, Ex. Member of the Palestine Football Association's Disciplinary Committee, Ex. Member of the Palestine Football Association's Appeal Committee

Brothers Mahmoud and Mohammad Abu Dan, stars of the Hilal Gaza Club Football Academy. They were killed with their whole family during the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

Abdelrahman Al-Aqqad, player of Khadamat Al-Breij club

Ahmad Awadallah,  player of the Palestine National team for Dwarf Football.

Taher Sweirki, official in Al-Mujamaa' Al-Islami Club

Rushdi Eid, a former player in Shabab Al-Zawaydeh club

Mohammad Ziad Al-Hour, former player of Khadamat Al-Nuseirat club

Tariq Ziad Al-Hour, player of Khadamat Al-Nuseirat club follows his brother Mohammad.

Mohammad Awad Al-Najjar, a referee. Killed with his wife during a bombardment of their house in Gaza.

Abdelrahman Kamal Khattab, player in theSamba Academy

Mousa Al-Barsh, Executive manager of Al-Nama'a FC was killed with his wife and children during an Israeli airstrike (probably on 12/11/2023)

Mohammad Hamdan, Al-Sadaqa club

Oday Abdallah, Al-Sadaqa FC player, was killed in an Israeli airstrike  (probably on 17/11/2023)

Ahmad Qaddourah, a volunteer in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, was planning to volunteer for the Asian Cup 2023. An Israeli airstrike of north Gaza, on 21/11/2023, killed him and all members of his family .

Yousef Salem, player of Jabalia FC, was killed during an airstrike of north Gaza (probably on 28/11/2023)

Abdelhameed AlQrenawi, a Sport photographer, was killed in an Israeli strike of Deir Al-Balah, on  4/12/2023

MustafaAbdeljaleel Abu Atwan, former coach, and match analyst, was killed during an Israeli airstrike on 8/12/2023

Mohammad Abu Samra, Sport photographer, was killed by an Israeli sniper on  10/12/2023, just 2 days after his twin brother was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Mahmoud Afaneh,  Goal Keepers' coach of Al-Zaytoun FC, was killed in an Israeli airstrike (probably on 5/12/2023)

Al-Mashtal U-16 Girls team plays the Tokyo Tournament final without both its coach and captain.

Allowing players to move from Gaza has long become the exception to the rule that they are not to move out at all.

This reality was sadly displayed yet again last month when the Al-Mashtal club from Gaza tried to get permits to play the final match of the "Tokyo U-16 tournament" against the Ramallah first Group Club in Bethlehem.

Despite the efforts of the Palestine Football Association and UNDP to obtain permits for a delegation of 16 persons to enable them to be in Bethlehem on Monday,  May 16, only 7 persons got their permits before their departure. The team had to wait at the Erez checkpoint for the rest of the permits, and when these finally came, the team found out that it will have to play without its Captain, and its coach.

The Tournament, jointly organized by the UNDP and the Japanese Representative Office in Palestine, ended in Al-Mashtal losing the match. Tears of frustration turned into tears of joy when the winning team, in an admirable show of sportsmanship,  gifted the cup to the losing one. 

Young footballer lost to Israeli occupation violence

 Mohammad Ali Ahmad AlGhneim, 19 years old player in Al-Khadr Football club was supposed to play a match today, April 11, 2022, with his  3rd division team, when an Israeli soldier's bullet ended both his career and his life.

Mohammad,  number 19 on the official team's list was in his family's house, near the separation wall as a demonstration protesting  Israeli army field executions was taking place in the area.  He got shot in the back and died immediately.

Israeli Occupation Authorities issue the 4th Demolition order against the Sur Baher club

The new year did not start with joy and hope for the staff, fans, and community of the Sur Baher club, located in east Jerusalem. For, just before 2021 ended, on the 27th of December, The Israeli occupation authorities handed the club the 4th notification for that past year, informing them that their facilities will be demolished for lack of  "proper building license", which is the term used for almost every other demolition in the densely populated Palestinian town.

Two years ago, the Club administration had made the legal paperwork to have their 8 dunums (8000 Sq meters) of Waqf land registered with the Islamic Awqaf, in the hope this will put an end to the repeated Israeli attempts to seize the land. This registration allowed the club to renovate the facilities, and install artificial turf for their home pitch.

Their relief was short-lived, for the Israeli authorities, as documented in many other instances in Sur Baher and the surrounding areas, will almost always find an instrument to de-legalize any measures taken to enable Palestinian communities to retain their property.

The club, which was established as far back as 1978, serves a community of over 25,000 people, providing youth with a chance to play football while also providing social, health, and cultural services to the community. It has a scouts division and is run by a general assembly of 636 people who elect its board. Its football team reached the 1st division in 1996 and won 2nd place in the Palestine Cup back in 1999

The Israeli Municipal authorities have been trying for years to take over the premises of the club, in return for some projects run by the occupation as compensation, but the community has rejected these offers every time, preferring to keep their club, whose facilities lie now in real danger of being lost.