Ben Middleton

Please make sure everyone sees this: This is one of the most heartbreaking photos I’m posting. I came across it today. On the left is Suleiman al-Obeid, a star player for Khadamat al-Shati FC. On the right is Mohammad al-Malfouh, who played for Shabab Jabalia FC. The photo was taken in 2019, after a match between their two teams. Al-Malfouh posted it on his Facebook page with the caption: “Thank God, always and forever.” It was a proud moment for him to face al-Obeid, one of Gaza’s soccer legends, known as the “Pelé of Palestine.” We now know that Israel killed Suleiman al-Obeid on August 6, 2025, while he was out seeking food. What was not widely known until now is that Mohammad al-Malfouh was killed much earlier, on December 11, 2023. I feel a personal connection to both of them. I was born in al-Shati Camp, the home team of al-Obeid. As a teenager, I trained with the youth team of Shabab Jabalia FC, the very club where, years later, al-Malfouh would join the first team. I was teaching English in local schools whole al-Malfouh was named one of Gaza’s 10 top scorers in 2018. My own soccer coach at Shabab Jabalia, Nihad al-Malfouh, Mohammad’s uncle, was killed in the same airstrike that took Mohammad’s life. In the comments are more photo of Mohammad al-Malfouh (1996-2023) Suleiman al-Obeid (1984-2025)

Israel killed France, a young Palestinian artist, in Gaza today. They dropped a bomb on the beachside café where she was sitting.