By Black Star News
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
Palestinian soccer star Suleiman al-Obeid—known as the Palestinian Pele—was honored by family, friends, and fans this week, following his killing last week, by the Israeli army. He was 41.
Obeid was killed trying to get food in South Gaza. Witnesses said Obeid was killed instantly, when an Israeli quadcopter dropped a munition on him, while he was waiting for aid at a U.S.-Israeli distribution area, in Rafah.
Obeid’s wife, Doaa, 35, said, “Suleiman began to look for aid after all of our stored food ran out. Market prices are skyrocketing and there is no cash available. My husband had to walk into death traps to feed our children.”
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) in a statement said, ‘‘During his long career, al-Obeid, 41, scored more than 100 goals, making him one of the brightest stars of Palestinian football.” Obeid exploits on the soccer field earned him the nickname the Palestinian Pele, referencing the great Brazilian soccer legend.
The PFA also stated that “The number of footballers killed or who died from starvation has reached 421, including 103 children.”
Doaa said her husband told her of the increasing danger he felt when going out to seek aid.
“The last three times he went to the aid centre, he told me it was getting more dangerous every day. He described bullets whizzing past his head like rain. He was sure he would be killed there, and refused to take our eldest son, Naseem, who is 17, with him.”
Doaa also said that Obeid was ashamed to look for aid–but did so to find food for his family.
“He was ashamed to go there. He even wore a cap to hide his face so no one would recognize him. He ignored his own feelings to feed our children, terrified by the thought of them going hungry. I begged him many times to stop going. I told him maybe we could survive without food, but not without him. He refused, saying he had hungry children to feed and couldn’t bear to see them go without.”
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