The Palestinian Sports Media Association (PSMA) has announced that the Israeli military has killed 708 Palestinian athletes, including 95 children, since the regime launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.
The head of the PSMA, Mustafa Siyam, said those killed included 369 football players, 105 members of scouting organizations and 234 athletes from various sports federations.
He added that the figures reported are not final due to ongoing airstrikes, the presence of missing persons under the rubble and limited access to areas.
Among the latest victims were Ahmed Haroun, coach of Al-Ribat Palestinian Handball Club, killed by Israeli artillery in the Nuseirat refugee camp, and Anas Al-Dabaji, a young football player, who died in an airstrike that hit his family’s home in Gaza.
The official revealed that Israel also destroyed 273 sports facilities, including stadiums, gyms and club facilities, either partially or completely.
Siyam accused Israel of deliberately targeting Palestinian sports as part of the social and cultural fabric of Gaza, describing the attacks as an “existential challenge” for the sports.
