DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Four people, including a prominent Palestinian aid official who played a key role in setting up public World Cup viewing events throughout Gaza, were killed in an Israeli airstrike moments before the Egypt-Argentina match got underway Tuesday, local health officials report.
The explosion transformed what many Gazans had hoped would be a joyful, communal moment — watching a possible upset of Argentina by an Arab team — into yet another grim reminder that deadly Israeli strikes continue to claim civilian lives despite a ceasefire that was reached in October.
The bomb struck a vehicle in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City at dusk Tuesday. Among those killed were Mohamed al-Wahidi, director of public relations for the Egyptian Committee in Gaza; 10-year-old Hamza al-Deri and his 8-year-old brother Fari; and the car’s driver, Ahmed Daghmush, 33. Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital, which received all four bodies, confirmed the deaths.
The Israeli military stated that al-Wahidi, who was involved in coordinating the soccer screenings, was not the intended target. According to the military, the strike was aimed at a Hamas militant, and it said it was investigating whether Daghmush was the person they were targeting.
Abu Selmiya said Daghmush was a taxi driver with no known ties to any militant organization.
A separate Israeli strike had hit the same street about 30 minutes earlier, resulting in no casualties.
The Egyptian Committee, where al-Wahidi served, functions as the humanitarian arm of the Egyptian government, delivering food, shelter, and other aid to Palestinians in Gaza. The committee also spearheaded the effort to set up large screens across the territory for residents to watch World Cup matches together.
A large portion of the Palestinian diaspora lives just across the border in Egypt, which played a central role in brokering the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Support for Team Egypt among Gaza residents has surged throughout the tournament, largely because coach Hossam Hassan has repeatedly used press conferences and on-field moments to draw attention to the suffering of the Palestinian people. After his team’s win over Australia on Friday, he dedicated the victory to both Egyptians and Palestinians and waved a Palestinian flag on the pitch.
During a Monday press briefing ahead of the Argentina match, Hassan called on the global community to take greater action on behalf of Palestinians.
