Sa’id Yousef Odeh, the 16 years old player of Balata FC youth team never had the chance to carry on with his team beyond round 8 of the Tokyo football tournament; The youth was killed by an Israeli occupation soldier during an incursion of his home village of Udlah, near Huwarrah.
The incident took place on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. Sa’id, who had worn the number 22 in the match his team Balata played against the Hilal of Jericho, was accompanied by his friend, Munther Abdelrahim, when Israeli army forces raided the village in search of Muntasir Shalabi, a Palestinian shooter who shot three Israeli settlers on the checkpoint of Za'atara on the previous Sunday, and withdrew from the scene in his private vehicle. As clashes broke out in the village after the Taraweeh prayers, Sa'id was fatally shot in the chest by the soldiers who were randomly shooting live bullets during their raid.
According to Munther Abdelrahim, and local activist Mahmoud Edeily, Munther tried to pull Sa'id away to safety, but the soldiers shot him and then caught up with both boys, detaining them where they fell.
Palestinian Red Crescent medic, Fayez Abdeljabbar, said the soldiers prevented the medics from reaching the two boys, leaving Sa'id to bleed to death when he clearly posed no danger to them. Abdeljabbar later realized that one of the two boys was his nephew, and only did so after the soldiers allowed the medics to reach the scene 15 minutes later.
Though Munther was severely injured in the back, the medic was able to stabilize his condition. Sa'id had already lost all vital signs when his uncle realized who he was.
