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Israeli strike killed Mohammed al-Wahidi and three others on the eve of the Egypt vs Argentina match on Tuesday.
Palestinians in Gaza turned out in large numbers to pay their respects to a senior member of Egypt’s main aid organisation, who had set up World Cup screenings in the shattered enclave and was killed by an Israeli air strike on a taxi he was in this week.
The strike killed Mohammed al-Wahidi, himself a Palestinian, on the eve of the Egypt vs Argentina match on Tuesday, along with three other people, including two young passers-by, siblings aged ۱۰ and ۸, in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City, medics said.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said the fourth victim was ۳۰-year-old Ahmed Jehad Rajab Doghmosh, who was also inside the taxi. It was unclear if he was the driver or a passenger.
Al-Wahidi, ۵۷, director of public relations for the Egyptian Relief Committee in Gaza, was among the first to help clear rubble, reopen roads and build camps for displaced families.
The Egyptian committee says al-Wahidi was a respected community elder who worked to resolve disputes, feed those in need, and bring joy by organising public screenings of World Cup matches.
Watching the matches on giant screens brought happiness to thousands of football fans in the enclave, laid waste by more than two years of Israel’s genocidal war. Palestinians, like many Arabs, cheered for the Egyptian team, which performed strongly before Argentina knocked them out of the tournament.
“My father worked hard to bring some entertainment to the people, to the displaced, to us, and everyone who suffers in Gaza; he tried to bring them the matches close to their tents and wrecked shelters,” his son, Fawaz, told the Reuters news agency by phone.
Two Egyptian security sources said al-Wahidi was tasked with logistics at his aid agency, which serves as the relief arm of the Egyptian government in the Palestinian territory.
The sources said a senior Egyptian official raised al-Wahidi’s death with Israel, denouncing its continuing killings in Gaza and obstruction of the committee’s work.
During the funeral on Wednesday, in which hundreds of people rallied, al-Wahidi’s body was wrapped in Palestinian and Egyptian flags before burial. Neighbours and friends visited his house throughout the day to pay their respects.
Working for the Egyptian aid agency was exhausting, said Fawaz, the son, but al-Wahidi used to tell his family he wanted to help people displaced by war.
Israel’s continued killings in Gaza come despite Israel and Hamas having agreed to a ceasefire on October ۱۰, ۲۰۲۵.
Since then, while fighting on the ground has reduced, Israel has continued carrying out air strikes in the territory, killing at least ۱,۰۹۲ Palestinians and wounding more than ۳,۵۰۷ during the “ceasefire”, according to the Ministry of Health.
Since October ۲۰۲۳, the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, more than ۷۳,۱۱۸ Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry.
