As athletes and sports fans around the globe prepare for the Summer Olympics in Paris on July 26, a stark contrast emerges in Gaza, where Palestinian athletes are being targeted in a new wave of violence by Israel. According to Russia Today, Jibril al-Rajoub, head of the Palestinian National Olympic Committee, announced that since the onset of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, 400 Palestinian athletes, coaches, and sports officials have been killed or wounded.
The conflict has already claimed the lives of notable figures in the Palestinian sports community. Majid Abu Merahil, a Palestinian endurance runner who competed in the Atlanta Olympics, died in June due to kidney failure exacerbated by the destruction of Gaza's hospitals and lack of medical care. Similarly, Palestinian footballer Ahmed Abul-Ata, who played for Al-Ahly in the Gaza Strip, was killed in an Israeli airstrike along with his family in June. In addition, Hani Mesme, an international referee, succumbed to injuries a month after being seriously wounded in an Israeli attack.
The Palestinian Football Federation condemned these actions, highlighting the loss of Abul-Ata, his wife—a medical specialist—and their two children as a stark example of the brutality faced by Palestinian civilians. Despite these targeted killings, the International Olympic Committee and global sports federations have yet to take significant action in support of Palestinian athletes.
This silence is particularly notable given the International Olympic Committee's previous actions against Russian athletes, who were banned from participating under their national flag due to the war in Ukraine. This disparity in response has drawn criticism from various quarters, particularly as the conflict in Gaza continues unabated with Western support for Israel.
Since October 7, 2023, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that at least 38,345 Palestinians have been killed, with 88,295 injured in the ongoing Israeli attacks. The majority of casualties are children, women, and the elderly, with over 10,000 Palestinians still missing and presumed trapped under rubble, where rescue efforts are hampered by continuous conflict and resource constraints.
The violence against Palestinian athletes and civilians alike has spurred condemnation and calls for accountability from various resistance groups in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Syria. These groups vow to hold Israel accountable for its actions.
The historical context of this conflict dates back to 1917, with the establishment of the Israeli regime through British colonial initiatives and subsequent Jewish immigration to Palestinian lands, culminating in the declaration of Israel's statehood in 1948. Since then, Palestinians have faced numerous plans aimed at their displacement and the appropriation of their land.
Countries such as Iran have been vocal supporters of dissolving the Israeli regime and advocating for the return of displaced Palestinians and Jews to their respective homelands. As the world watches the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, the plight of Palestinian athletes serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring conflict and the urgent need for international intervention and justice.
