Palestinian international assistant referee Mohammed Khattab, along with his entire family including his four children and wife, were killed when their home in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, was targeted. “Al-Aqsa Radio” reported that the home of referee Mohammed Khattab was bombed, resulting in the deaths of him, his wife, and his four children.
Khattab was an accredited referee with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, having received his international badge in 2020. He officiated a number of important Arab and Asian matches for both national teams and clubs. Mohammed Khattab’s death adds him to the list of Palestinian athletes who have lost their lives in recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. This comes at a time when members of the European Parliament and several Gulf countries’ football associations have recently called on FIFA and UEFA to exclude Israel from participating in football competitions.
The situation in Gaza since the war on October 7 has been dire, with significant loss of life and destruction. Amnesty International reported an instance where an entire family, the al-Dos family, was killed in an airstrike on their home in Gaza City, illustrating the indiscriminate nature of some attacks that have led to civilian casualties. According to Human Rights Watch, the conflict has seen an unprecedented scale of civilian harm, with over 22,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, killed in Gaza as of early January 2024. These incidents have raised serious concerns about potential war crimes and the need for accountability.
Al Jazeera reported that the death toll in Gaza has reached 20,000 as fighting continues, further emphasizing the catastrophic impact on civilians in the region. The ongoing hostilities have not only resulted in loss of life but have also led to widespread displacement, with a significant portion of Gaza’s population affected.
These reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Al Jazeera highlight the urgent need for a resolution to the conflict and a focus on protecting civilian lives. The international community’s response and efforts towards accountability will be crucial in addressing the humanitarian crisis and ensuring that such tragic losses do not continue.
