The Israeli Army's Response to Mohamed Salah After the Death of "Palestine's Pele" Suleiman Al-Abeid

In an official response to the inquiry from Egypt's national team star and Liverpool FC player Mohamed Salah regarding the death of the famous Palestinian player Suleiman Al-Abeid, known as "Palestine's Pele", Israeli army spokesman Nadav Shoshani denied the existence of any records or information related to the incident of his death.

Shoshani stated via his official account on the "X" platform (formerly Twitter):

"Hello Mohamed, after an initial review, we found no records indicating incidents related to Suleiman Al-Abeid. For further scrutiny, we need additional details."

Mohamed Salah had also requested clarifications from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) regarding Al-Abeid's death, after UEFA issued a statement mourning the Palestinian player, describing him as "a talent that gave immense hope to the children of Palestine in the darkest times," without mentioning the reasons for his death.

In a later development, the Palestinian Football Association announced on Wednesday that Al-Abeid was killed during an Israeli airstrike targeting civilians who were waiting for humanitarian aid in southern Gaza.

It is worth noting that Suleiman Al-Abeid, who passed away at the age of 41 and left behind five children, began his football career with the Beach Services Club before moving to the Al-Am'ari Youth Center in the West Bank, and then to Gaza Sports Club.

Al-Abeid is considered one of the most prominent football players in the history of Palestine, having scored more than 100 goals during his career, and he had a notable international presence, scoring his first goal with the Palestinian national team in a match against Yemen in 2010, and participating in the Asian Challenge Cup qualifiers and the 2014 World Cup.

The poignant image of his widow holding the late player's shorts with their son beside her inside their tent in Gaza reflects a deep humanitarian tragedy behind this star who ended his sporting career under tragic circumstances.