Former Palestinian basketball player killed by Israeli gunfire while seeking food

An Israeli army attack killed a former Palestinian basketball player while he was seeking food in the Gaza Strip, local media reported late Tuesday.

Mohammed Shaalan, 40, one of the most prominent players of the Palestinian national basketball team, was killed by Israeli gunfire in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, the state news agency Wafa reported.

Shaalan was searching for food and medicine for his daughter, Maryam, who is suffering from kidney failure and severe blood poisoning, Wafa said.

The slain athlete, nicknamed “The Earthquake,” had played for several local basketball teams as well as the Palestinian national team, according to the news agency.

READ: More than 80 rabbis urge Israel to address starvation, denounce settler violence in Gaza

Israel has recently faced sharp international criticism after killing former Palestinian player Suleiman al-Obeid, known as the “Palestinian Pelé,” while he was waiting for aid near a distribution point in southern Gaza.

More than 800 athletes have been killed in Gaza since the start of Israel’s offensive in October 2023, as the sports community continues to suffer under bombardment, famine, and the collapse of infrastructure, according to Palestinian officials.

Israel has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing a famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

READ: Salah criticises UEFA farewell for ‘Palestinian Pele’ not mentioning his death at hands of Israeli soldiers