Nearly 800 Palestinian athletes killed by Israeli forces, says football body

The Israeli military has killed at least 785 Palestinian athletes and sports officials since its war on Gaza began in October 2023, the Palestinian Football Association has said.

Susan Shalabi, the association’s deputy head, told Turkey's Anadolu Agency that the dead include footballers and staff from multiple disciplines, with most of the victims killed in Gaza. At least 23 were killed in the occupied West Bank.

Among the dead were 437 football players, Shalabi said, including 15 from the West Bank.

The association is compiling the figures using its registration records and data from its Gaza branch, she added.

But the true toll could be higher. “There are still people missing under the rubble,” Shalabi said, stressing that search efforts are hampered by limited access to areas devastated by Israeli bombardment.