By By Micheal Chukwuebuka
A former Palestinian national team player and star of Gaza’s Al-Shati’a Services Club was killed by Israeli forces while waiting for humanitarian aid on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian Football Association (PFA).
The PFA said Suleiman Al-Obeid, 41, was struck by Israeli gunfire that targeted Palestinians gathered for aid distribution in southern Gaza.
Nicknamed the “Gazelle,” “Black Pearl,” and the Palestinian “Pele,” Al-Obeid earned 24 caps for the national team, scoring two goals — including a celebrated bicycle kick against Yemen in the 2010 West Asian Federation Cup.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, at least 662 athletes and scouts, including 321 members of the Palestinian soccer community, have been killed, the PFA said. Those figures include players, coaches, referees, and club officials.
Born in Gaza City, Al-Obeid is survived by his wife, two sons, and three daughters. UEFA paid tribute to him on X, calling him “a talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times.”
Al-Obeid began his career with Al-Shati’a Services Club before moving to the West Bank to play for Al-Amari Youth Center from 2009 to 2013, winning the inaugural Palestinian Professional League in the 2010-2011 season. He later returned to Gaza, where he starred for both Al-Shati’a and Gaza Sporting Club, finishing as the league’s top scorer in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons.
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