Mohamed Salah, one of the greatest football stars, criticized the governing body of the sport in Europe for his tribute to Suleiman Al-Epanid, known as the “Pelestine football pelys”, which did not mention how he died last week.
Al-Obeid, 41, was killed by Israeli shots on Wednesday while looking for humanitarian aid in the Southern Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Football Association (PFA).
“Goodbye to Suleiman Al-Epanid, the Palestinian Pele,” said the union of European football associations on Friday in a position on X. “A talent that gave hope to innumerable children, even in the darkest times.”
“Can you tell us how he died, where and why?” Salah, a striker for the Premier League Liverpool club and the captain of the Egyptian national team, said in response.
UEFA did not immediately respond to a comment request on Sunday.
Salah, 33, has been a vocal defender of greater humanitarian aid to Gaza, than the United Nations and other international experts say he is on the edge of famine 22 months after Israel’s war with Hamas, which controls the enclave of approximately 2 million people.
Finding food has become more difficult and deadly for the Palestinians since the end of May, when the Humanitarian Foundation of Gaza supported by American and Israel took over the distribution of aid after Israel raised a block of two and a half months.
Around 1,400 Palestinians have been killed while looking for food aid, mainly at the hands of the Israeli army, says the UN. The Israeli army says that it is not addressed to civilians.
Salah is not the only soccer star to talk about the circumstances of Al-Epan’s death.
Eric Cantona, a former Professional Football player from France who was a Manchester United striker, published a tribute on Instagram along with a photo of Al-Epanid, asking: “How much more are we going to let them commit this genocide?”
Israel insists that he is fighting an existential war and rejects the accusations of genocide as anti -Semites.
On Saturday, the PFA shared a statement attributed to the UEFA president, Aleksander Ceferin, praising Al-Epanid for giving “talent and dedication to the children of Gaza” and giving their dreams “hope of flourishing despite suffering.”
Al-Obeid scored more than 100 goals during his long career, including two for the Palestinian national team, “making it one of the brightest stars in Palestinian football,” said the PFA.
His wife and five children survive him.
The PFA He said in x On Saturday that 325 players, coaches, administrators, referees and members of the Board of the Club of the Palestinian Soccer Community had died in the conflict.
According to the local Ministry of Health, more than 61,000 people have been killed in Gaza, including thousands of children, while much of the territory is in ruins.
Israel launched its offensive after the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, during which Militants led by Hamas killed some 1,200 people and took another 251 hostages. Of the 50 hostages that remain in Gaza, Israel believes that some 20 are still alive.
