Suleiman Al-Obeid, a former player for the Palestinian national team and an iconic name in Palestinian soccer, tragically lost his life at the age of 41 due to an Israeli airstrike while waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza, as announced by the Palestine Football Association. Known affectionately as the “Palestinian Pele,” Al-Obeid scored over 100 goals during his tenure with Gaza Sport and left a legacy remembered for a breathtaking scissor kick against Yemen in the 2010 West Asian Football Federation championship.

The former Palestine national team player, Suleiman Al-Obeid, was killed in an Israeli strike targeting civilians waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip. Source Image

Al-Obeid began with Khadamat al-Shati and later played for Markaz Shabab al-Am’ari. After making his debut in 2007, he was capped 24 times and scored twice. His death adds to a staggering total of over 662 people linked to sports who have been killed in the region since October 2023, including 321 from the soccer community.

The Palestine national team is set to play a friendly against Malaysia on September 8, as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifying rounds in Asia.