Mohamed Salah has criticised Uefa for failing to state how a footballer referred to as the “Palestinian Pelé” died in a tribute it posted.
Suleiman al-Obeid, 41, was killed on Wednesday in southern Gaza when Israeli forces attacked civilians ready for humanitarian help, the Palestine Soccer Affiliation (PFA) mentioned.
“Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the ‘Palestinian Pelé',” Uefa posted on X on Friday. “A expertise who gave hope to numerous kids, even within the darkest of occasions.”
Salah replied to Uefa's submit on Saturday, saying: “Are you able to inform us how he died, the place, and why?”
The Liverpool participant and Egypt star has persistently voiced sympathy for these in Gaza all through the battle. Two years in the past, he donated to the Egyptian Purple Cross to assist fund its reduction efforts within the area.
A fixture within the Palestinian nationwide aspect after his debut in 2007, Obeid gained 24 caps and scored twice, the PFA mentioned final week, most memorably with a scissor-kick in opposition to Yemen in the course of the 2010 West Asian Soccer Federation championship.
‘‘Throughout his lengthy profession, al-Obeid, 41, scored greater than 100 objectives, making him one of many brightest stars of Palestinian soccer,” it mentioned.
His expertise on the pitch earned him the nickname of “the Palestinian Pelé” – a nod to the legendary Brazilian broadly hailed as one of many biggest gamers of all time.
Obeid's loss of life added to a rising toll of athletes misplaced in Gaza because the warfare started, with not less than 662 sportspeople and their relations reported to have been killed.
“The variety of footballers killed or who died from hunger has reached 421, together with 103 kids,” the PFA mentioned.
In response to the PFA, 288 sports activities services have been broken or diminished to rubble throughout Gaza and the West Financial institution, from stadiums and coaching grounds to gyms and clubhouses. The bulk, 268, have been in Gaza, whereas 20 have been within the West Financial institution, with about half serving soccer instantly.
Among the many websites hit was the PFA's headquarters in Gaza, struck throughout an Israeli air raid.
Greater than 1,300 Palestinians are reported to have been killed within the neighborhood of help distribution factors managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Basis because the US- and Israeli-backed logistic group's launch in late Might.
