Former Palestinian national basketball player Mohammed Shaalan, 40, one of Gaza’s most celebrated athletes, was shot and killed on Tuesday by Israeli forces in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, local sources reported.

Shaalan was reportedly attempting to reach humanitarian aid for his children when he was targeted. He had been struggling to secure food and medicine for his young daughter, Mariam, who suffers from kidney failure and severe blood poisoning, amid repeated denials of medical access and humanitarian support by the Israeli occupation.

Shaalan’s tragic death adds to the devastating toll on Gaza’s sports community. Local reports indicate that approximately 670 members of Palestinian sports organizations have been killed since the escalation of Israeli aggression, and 288 sports and scouting facilities across Gaza and the West Bank have been destroyed.

Throughout his career, Shaalan represented Palestine at both national and local levels, playing for multiple basketball clubs and contributing to the development of the sport in Gaza. His death underscores the growing crisis faced by civilians under the ongoing blockade, highlighting the human cost of the occupation.

Civil society groups and sports organizations in Gaza condemned the killing, calling on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its systematic targeting of civilians and the destruction of Palestinian sports infrastructure.

Shaalan is remembered not only as a talented athlete but also as a devoted father who sought to protect and provide for his family despite the harsh conditions imposed by the blockade. (ILKHA)