An Israeli strike in Gaza killed a top Palestinian aid official just before the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup clash between Argentina and Egypt, according to media reports.
The official had helped organise public screenings of the tournament across the strip, bringing much needed relief to the besieged strip.
The Associated Press reported that the blast, which killed Mohamed al-Wahidi, turned what was meant to be a moment of celebration, the live screening of a potential upset against Argentina by an Arab team, into another reminder that near-daily Israeli strikes continue to kill civilians despite a truce reached in October.
Al-Wahidi worked as an official with the Egyptian Relief Committee in Gaza, the relief arm of the Egyptian government that provides food, shelter and other assistance to Palestinians in the strip.
Dr Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital, told the AP that the strike hit a car in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City at dusk on Tuesday. He said three others died in the attack alongside al-Wahidi, including the driver, 33-year-old Ahmed Daghmush, and two brothers, 10-year-old Hamza al-Deri and eight-year-old Fari al-Deri.
The Israeli military said that al-Wahidi was not the intended target of the strike, but in fact a ‘Hamas militant’ and that it was checking whether Daghmush was the target. Dr Abu Selmiya disputed this, saying that Daghmush worked as a taxi driver with no known links to militant groups.
The Guardian reported that the strike hit Gaza’s Sabra district around an hour before the match kicked off. It quoted al-Wahidi’s cousin describing him as “widely loved” with “a strong presence at family and community gatherings,” adding that he was known for supporting people in need.
Israel has continued carrying out strikes in Gaza since the US-mediated ceasefire with Hamas took effect last October. According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 1,084 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the truce began.
