Palestinian youth footballer dies a week after being shot by Israeli forces in West Bank settler attack

Death of a Youth Footballer

Fadi Hamdallah al-Nassan, a 17-year-old Palestinian who played for Al-Mughayyir Club and the Palestinian national youth team, was shot in the thigh on 11 July during a settler attack on his West Bank village of al-Mughayyir. [1] Israeli forces shot him while settlers were attacking the village, according to the Palestine Football Association. [1] His leg was later amputated, and he died from the injuries on 18 July. [3] His father, Hamdallah al-Nassan, stated that al-Nassan ran toward the scene after hearing women and girls screaming during the assault. [1] “He went to the scene of the attack and was killed,” the father said. [3] His mother, Hanan al-Nassan, described him as a good student who was good in sports and loved playing football, adding that everyone loved him. [4] The Palestine Football Association confirmed that the shooting occurred amid the settler assault on the village. [1]

Funeral and Mourning

Dozens of mourners dressed in black carried al-Nassan’s body from the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah to his home village of al-Mughayyir for burial on 18 July. [3] The Palestine Football Association played a central role in highlighting his death and issued a statement noting the broader toll on Palestinian sports figures. [1] “With Fadi’s departure, the number of martyrs from the Palestinian sports movement since October 7, 2023, rises to 1,013 martyrs, including 568 martyrs from the Palestinian football family,” the association said. [1] Family members spoke of his character during the mourning period, with his mother expressing hope that God would accept him as a martyr. [4] The funeral procession underscored the impact on his local community and the national youth team he represented. [3]

Fadi Hamdallah al-Nassan, 17-year-old Palestinian youth footballer, died after being shot by Israeli forces in West Bank. — Source: gdelt

Same-Day Attacks Across the West Bank

On the same day as al-Nassan’s funeral, Israeli settlers and forces carried out separate attacks that set fire to olive trees near Ramallah and destroyed a Palestinian family home near Nablus. [1] Israeli forces also raided homes in towns near Jenin. [1] In Deir Qaddis, west of Ramallah, Israeli soldiers fired live rounds and tear gas at Palestinian farmers, starting fires that tore through olive groves, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. [1] Civil defence crews were prevented from reaching the site, allowing the blaze to spread further. [1] Near Nablus, settlers set fire to a Palestinian family’s home in the town of Tal, destroying it completely. [3] In al-Mughayyir itself, two other residents were hit by rubber bullets fired by Israeli forces, while a 10-year-old boy was hit on the head by a stun grenade. [4]

Escalation of Settler and Military Violence

Since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the United Nations has reported a sharp increase in violence attributed to Israeli settlers in the West Bank. [3] Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,088 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 2023, according to Palestinian health ministry data. [4] Official Israeli figures show that at least 46 Israelis, both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war. [3] Rights groups and the United Nations have described Israel’s actions in the West Bank as a system of apartheid. [1] The death of al-Nassan has drawn new attention to the escalating violence carried out by Israeli settlers and soldiers against Palestinian communities across the territory. [1]

Mourners carry the body of Palestinian youth footballer Fadi Hamdallah al-Nassan during his funeral in the West Bank. — Source: thenewarab

Settlement Expansion Policy

Earlier this week, Israel’s security cabinet approved a budget of $434 million for establishing 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said. [4] The planned settlements would bring the total established under his four-year tenure to 103. [4] UN bodies, Palestinians and most countries view the settlements as illegal under international conventions and a primary obstacle to peace. [4] Smotrich, who has long opposed Palestinian statehood, is head of the Religious Zionism party that draws much of its support from settlements. [4] Settlement building has expanded at an accelerating rate despite being illegal under international law. [1]

Sports Movement Martyrs Count

Al-Nassan played for Al-Mughayyir Club and was a member of the Palestinian national youth team. [1] His death brings the total number of Palestinian sports movement martyrs since October 2023 to 1,013, including 568 from the football family according to the Palestine Football Association. [1] The association’s statement placed the loss within the wider pattern of casualties affecting Palestinian athletes and sports institutions. [3] Family accounts emphasized his dedication to football alongside his studies, reinforcing his profile within the local and national sports community. [4]

What to watch next: Further settler attacks on Palestinian property and additional Israeli military raids remain likely in the West Bank, while the $434 million budget for new settlements moves forward under Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.