An Israeli strike in Gaza on Tuesday killed a Palestinian aid official involved in organizing public screenings of the World Cup, local health officials reported. The strike occurred just before the kickoff of the Egypt-Argentina match, turning a planned moment of celebration into a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict.
The blast hit a car in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood at dusk, killing Mohamed al-Wahidi, director of public relations for the Egyptian Committee in Gaza. Also killed were 10-year-old Hamza al-Deri, his 8-year-old brother Fari, and the car's driver, Ahmed Daghmush, 33. Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital, confirmed the four fatalities.
The Israeli military stated that al-Wahidi was not the target and that the strike was aimed at a Hamas militant. The military indicated it was verifying if Daghmush, identified by hospital officials as a taxi driver unaffiliated with any militant group, was the intended target.
Al-Wahidi worked for the Egyptian Committee, the relief arm of the Egyptian government, which provides aid to Palestinians in Gaza and had organized the initiative for public soccer screenings. An earlier Israeli strike on the same street, occurring about half an hour prior, resulted in no casualties.
Team Egypt's popularity in Gaza has grown during the tournament, partly due to coach Hossam Hassan's public statements and gestures highlighting the Palestinian cause. Hassan dedicated a recent victory to both Egyptians and Palestinians and urged the world to increase support for Palestinians.
Israel's military asserts its strikes target militants and expresses regret for civilian harm. Since a truce took effect in October, at least 1,027 people, including 258 children, have been killed in Gaza. Five Israeli soldiers have died during the same period. The Palestinian death toll in the conflict, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, stands at 73,098, with women and children comprising about half of the fatalities. The war began with Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the taking of 251 hostages.