Gaza goalkeeper Saleem al‑Ashqar killed, sports community vows to uphold his legacy

Gaza’s national football team goalkeeper Saleem al‑Ashqar was killed on Saturday while searching for cooking gas in the northern suburb of Jabalia, officials said. According to local witnesses, al‑Ashqar and a small group of civilians were caught in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a residential building suspected of housing militants. The 27‑year‑old, who had represented Gaza in regional tournaments, is the latest in a series of athletes to die since the conflict erupted in October 2023, bringing the total number of Palestinian sportspeople killed to more than 1,000, according to the Palestinian Sports Federation.

Humanitarian groups have highlighted the growing toll on the sporting community, noting that the deaths of athletes such as al‑Ashqar underscore the broader civilian impact of the war. International sporting bodies, including the International Olympic Committee, have called for the protection of athletes and the preservation of sporting facilities amid ongoing hostilities. The loss of al‑Ashqar, a prominent figure in Gaza’s football scene, adds to the mounting grief felt by families, teammates, and fans across the region.