The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) confirmed that goalkeeper Saleem Al-Ashqar was killed by Israeli military fire on 30 June in Al-Qarara, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. The 32-year-old, who played for Khadamat Khan Younis, was struck while cycling to purchase a gas cylinder, according to a friend cited by Al Jazeera; other accounts said he was seeking water for his wife, who is five months pregnant with the couple’s first child. The PFA stated that Al-Ashqar had married five months earlier and was the only son among seven sisters.

Viewed from Ramallah, the death is the latest in a pattern that Palestinian sporting bodies describe as a systematic erasure of athletic life. The PFA said the number of athletes killed since the war began in October 2023 has reached 1,009, of whom 567 belonged to the football community — including players, coaches, and officials. The Palestinian Olympic Committee and the PFA have previously reported that more than 250 sports facilities have been destroyed. The PFA characterises the military campaign as a “war of extermination” and has formally complained to FIFA that the Israel Football Association maintains clubs in settlements in occupied Palestinian territory and that its officials are linked to wartime actions.

From Santiago, the Chilean first-division club Deportivo Palestino — founded by Palestinian immigrants in 1920 — issued a statement saying it was “devastated” and demanded “justice and peace for our people.” No immediate comment was available from the Israel Defense Forces or the Israel Football Association. Israeli authorities have consistently rejected accusations of deliberately targeting civilians and maintain that operations in Gaza are directed at Hamas militants.

The killing adds to a documented toll that international sports federations have been slow to address publicly. The PFA’s complaint to FIFA, lodged earlier in the conflict, remains under review, though no timetable for a ruling has been announced. The dossier is expected to be discussed at the next FIFA Congress, where member associations may face renewed calls to suspend or sanction the Israeli federation — a step that, viewed from Zurich, would mark a significant escalation in the politicisation of global football governance.