‘Palestinian Pele’ slain in Gaza is honored by mourners and family
The Palestinian soccer “Pele” aspired to continue scoring goals until he turned fifty. Suleiman al-Obeid was killed this week while waiting in line to pick up food in southern Gaza by an Israeli tank shell, according to his family, ending his goal ten years too soon.
Obeid’s widow, Doaa al-Obeid, and her five children are grieving for the beloved 41-year-old striker, and she is now holding on to the blue-and-white number 10 shorts he wore for his Gaza team, Al-Shati, one of the few items she has left of her late husband.
“This is the most precious thing left behind by him,” she responded.
Obeid’s home was damaged in a shelling earlier this year, and the family has few other items from him. They currently reside in a tent amidst the demolished neighborhood of Gaza City.
Obeid, whose skills and goal-scoring prowess have drawn comparisons to the legendary Pele of Brazil, made headlines this week after Liverpool star Mohamed Salah criticized an homage to him by UEFA, the European Union’s governing body, that omitted the reason of death.
The question Salah wrote was, “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”
According to the Palestinian Football Association, Obeid was killed in a southern Gaza Israeli military bombardment while he was waiting to pick up aid at a distribution station.
According to his family, a tank shell killed him.
Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, responded to Salah’s post on X by saying: “Hey Mohamed, Our preliminary investigation revealed no documentation of any incidences involving Suleiman al-Obeid. We require more information in order to examine it more closely.
When Israel and Hamas started fighting in October 2023, Obeid, who had played for the Palestinian national team, was still with his Gaza club.
Over 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas attacks on towns and villages. In retaliation, Israel has destroyed the Gaza Strip, a coastal community that is home to over 2 million people, and murdered almost 61,000 Palestinians.
The majority have been killed by gunfire, artillery, and airstrikes, but an increasing number are dying of starvation.
“A GAZELLE WAS THIS PLAYER.”
Despite the difficulties, Obeid continued to play, according to his widow Doaa.
“He used to attend to workout every day and never once stopped. He would go play even in the midst of mass murder, bombardment, and missiles during a war. She remarked, “He used to get his loved ones and friends together and go play with them.”
Israel’s attack has damaged the majority of sports facilities and killed hundreds of athletes and sports leaders, according to the Palestinian Football Association.
Soccer supporters in Palestine said they will concentrate on Obeid’s legacy rather than his brutal death.
“Children called him the Henry and Pele of Palestine,” remarked Hassan al-Balawi, a barber in Gaza City, comparing him to the legendary Frenchman Thierry Henry.
This athlete was a gazelle, and we had fun watching him when we took the field. Captain Suleiman al-Obeid was well-liked by all Palestinian soccer supporters.
