Palestinian football is mourning the death of goalkeeper Saleem Khader Al-Ashqar, who was killed in southern Gaza at the age of 32.

Al-Ashqar played for Khadamat Khan Younis and had previously represented several other clubs in the Gaza Strip. He had married only five months before his death, while his wife is expecting their first child.

Goalkeeper killed in Al-Qarara

According to an official statement from the Palestinian Football Association, Al-Ashqar was killed by Israeli fire in Al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Younis, on June 29.

The association said the goalkeeper had also played for Al-Aqsa and Al-Masdar during his career in Gaza. It added that he was the only son in his family and had seven sisters.

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The circumstances surrounding his death were described by Anadolu Agency, which reported that Al-Ashqar had gone out to obtain cooking gas for his family when Israeli forces opened fire.

He was taken to hospital with serious injuries but could not be saved, the report said. His wife was waiting for him at home and preparing for the birth of their first child.

Palestinian sport faces mounting losses

The PFA said Al-Ashqar’s death brought the number of Palestinian sports figures killed since the beginning of the war in October 2023 to 1,009.

Of those, 567 were members of the Palestinian football community, a total that includes players, coaches, referees, administrators and other sporting officials. The figures are provided by the PFA and have not been independently verified.

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The conflict has also caused extensive damage to football grounds, club facilities and other sporting infrastructure across Gaza.

Deportivo Palestino pays tribute

Chilean club Deportivo Palestino, which has longstanding ties to the Palestinian community, mourned Al-Ashqar in a statement published on Instagram.

The club said Al-Ashqar had lost his life “at the hands of the Israeli army” before adding:

“We are devastated that such events continue to happen. We demand justice and peace.”

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The tribute was among several messages published following the goalkeeper’s death, as Palestinian football mourned another member of its sporting community.

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