Palestine is in mourning today following the loss of a beloved figure who brought fleeting smiles to the faces of Gazans amidst the ruins. Mohammed Al-Wahidi, a veteran aid worker acclaimed for his initiative to screen World Cup matches on giant screens in Gaza, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. The attack targeted a taxi in the Sabra area of Gaza City on the night before the match between Argentina and Egypt last Tuesday. In addition to Al-Wahidi, three others—including two siblings aged 10 and 8—were killed in the strike.
The 57-year-old Al-Wahidi served as the Public Relations Director for the ‘Egyptian Relief Committee’ in Gaza. He was a frontline figure in efforts to clear war debris, clean roads, and establish shelters for displaced families. Although Palestinian, he managed logistics for this Egyptian government relief organization. Simultaneously, he arranged for football matches to be shown on giant screens to provide entertainment for the people of Gaza, who have been devastated by this brutal war that has dragged on for over two years.
A pall of gloom has descended across Gaza following his untimely death. Al-Wahidi’s son, Fawaz, told the news agency Reuters over the phone, “My father worked tirelessly to bring a little joy to the faces of war-torn and displaced people. He made arrangements so that everyone could watch the games right there amidst the tents and rubble.”
Al-Wahidi’s funeral prayer was held last Wednesday, attended by hundreds of people. As his body—draped in the national flags of Palestine and Egypt—was laid to rest, the eyes of all those present were filled with tears.
It is worth noting that despite a ceasefire agreement signed between Israel and Hamas on October 10, 2025, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have not ceased. According to data from the local health ministry, at least 1,092 Palestinians have been killed since the start of this so-called ‘ceasefire.’ And the total death toll in this brutal and genocidal war waged by Israel, which began in October 2023, has so far reached 73,118.
