Gaza Herald- The Secretary-General of the Palestinian Sports Media Federation, Mustafa Siam, said Israeli forces have killed approximately 1,012 members of Palestine’s sports, youth, and scouting communities in the Gaza Strip since the start of what Palestinians describe as the genocide on October 7, 2023.
Speaking on Friday, Siam said the victims include more than 560 football players, coaches, and referees affiliated with the Palestinian Football Association, describing the losses as a devastating blow to Gaza’s sporting community.
He also stated that Israeli attacks have destroyed official Palestinian sports institutions throughout the Gaza Strip, while football stadiums that once hosted athletic competitions have been transformed into shelters for thousands of displaced families whose homes were destroyed during the war.
According to Palestinian officials, Israel’s military campaign, launched on October 7, 2023, and backed by the United States and several European governments, has involved widespread killing, starvation, destruction, forced displacement, and mass arrests. They argue that these actions have continued despite repeated international appeals and orders issued by the International Court of Justice calling for an end to the offensive.
Palestinian authorities say the war has left more than 239,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, the majority of them women and children. More than 11,000 people remain missing, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced from their homes. The humanitarian crisis has also been marked by famine that has claimed numerous lives, particularly among children, alongside widespread destruction that has erased much of Gaza’s cities and neighborhoods.
A ceasefire between Palestinian factions and Israel entered into effect on October 10 of last year, although Palestinian officials continue to document the humanitarian and physical devastation left across the territory.
