Palestinian goalkeeper killed by Israel in Gaza as Fifa faces fresh calls to act

Palestinian goalkeeper killed by Israel in Gaza as Fifa faces fresh calls to act Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 07/02/2026 - 17:31 Tributes poured in after the Palestinian Football Association said Saleem al-Ashqar was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza Palestinian goalkeeper Saleem al-Ashqar (Facebook/@kadmatkh) Off Palestinian goalkeeper Saleem al-Ashqar was killed earlier this week by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) said in a statement on Monday, prompting tributes from football supporters, journalists, fans, and the public on social media. The PFA said the 32-year-old was killed by Israeli army fire. With Ashqar's death, the association said the number of Palestinian sports figures killed since the start of Israel's war on Gaza has risen to 1,009, including 567 members of the Palestinian football community.